TAWAU: Sabah has the highest number of Thalassemia patients in Malaysia with one in 13 people being carriers of the gene while the national statistic is one carrier among 20 people in Malaysia.
Deputy Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching said Thalassemia is a hereditary disease that could be inherited through genes regardless of race and gender and thus, all levels of society should undergo a screening test for it before they get married.
Mary, who is also Tawau MP, said the screening test is very important to ensure that future generations did not inherit Thalassemia. About 1,000 Thalassemia patients have undergone blood transfusion at every hospital in Malaysia, and the number would have increased if early prevention had not been done.
In 2015, Tawau Hospital used up 439 pints of blood for Thalassemia patients and 200 pints for the first four months this year, she said while officiating Thalassemia Day 2016 held at Tawau Hospital yesterday. Also present were Pediatric department chief, Dr Sandeep Singh Gill and hospital director Dr Norlimah Binti Arsad.
Mary said she believed the Tawau Hospital could provide high commitment in creating awareness on Thalassemia prevention and its comprehensive treatment among the community. Today, it has recorded 69 Thalassemia patients compared to 66 patients in 2015.
Meanwhile, Dr Norlimah said that the theme for Thalassemia Day 2016 is ‘Akses Kepada Ubat Talasemia Yang Selamat & Berkesan’ and thus, the patients’ access to medication is very important apart from screening tests to reduce the level of iron in the blood to prevent complications.
She also urged the public to become voluntary blood donors to the hospital blood bank as many of patients need blood transfusion to continue their daily lives.