Hyderabad, April 07: On the occasion of Thalaessemia International Day, the Thalaessemia and Sickle Cell Society, Will India and Cure Thalaessemia will organise a Care for Walk on May 8, from the People’s Plaza to the Volleyball ground on Necklace road from 7 a.m.
Speaking to mediamen on Thursday, Narayana Hrudayala vice-president, Dr B Anil Kumar Mulpur said the funds generated from the event will be used for treating thalaessemiaaffected poor and underprivileged children. He said at least 4.5 per cent people in the state were thalaessemia carriers. He informed there were about 600 thalaessemia babies born every year.
Dr Mulpur urged people should test their haemoglobin before marriage to know the carrier status so as to prevent marriages between carriers to control the disease.
He said bone marrow transplantation was the ultimate cure for the disorder but the procedure cost at least `10 lakh. He appealed to the state government to provide transplantation treatment under the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme.
Cure Thalassemia convener, Chandrakanth Agarwal said they would launch a bone marrow transplantation project by July 1 in Narayana Hrudayalaya. He observed they would perform one free transplantation among every three operations in the hospital. He urged the government, NGOs and youth to bring awareness on about the disease. Agarwal further said Home minister P Sabita Indra Reddy and city police commissioner AK Khan would take part in the run.
He expected about 2000 volunteers to participate in the event.
Will India convener M Sudhakar, Thalaessemia and Sickle Cell Society vicepresident K Ratnavalli were also present.
–Agencies