Thalassemia Prevention Week begins today

The Thalassemia Prevention Week programme will be held in the Kurunegala district from November 18 to eradicate this disease as it has been extensively spreading there.

The National Thalassemia Centre of Kurunegala Teaching Hospital and Kurunegala District Secretariat will jointly conduct this weekly programme with the participation of 30,000 officers from 30 Divisional Secretariats in the district.

The main Thalassemia Prevention Centre has been established in the Kurunegala General hospital as it has recorded that this disease has been extensively spreading in Kurunegala Thalassemia patients not only in Kurunegala, but from other districts too have been directed to this hospital.

Doctors have indicated that to prevent this disease mainly, a Thalassemia affected person should not marry a person affected by this disease.

Director of Kurunegala hospital requested all the youths to test for Thalasemia before marriage.

A spokesman for Kurunegala hospital said the Health Ministry has provided facilities to the hospital to test persons for Thalasemia free of charge.