Jamshedpur : As part of its awareness programme which is aimed at enhancing knowledge on Thalassemia, city-based philanthropic organisation Anurag Foundation is all set to organise a workshop on Thalassemia at the SNTI auditorium on September 29.
The workshop will be conducted by senior consultant (Col.) Deepak K Mishra from Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata. T P Madhusudanan, general manager, medical services, Tata Steel will be the chief guest.
Anurag Foundation President, Ronald D�costa said that idea is to spread greater awareness on the ailment.
When asked about the best way to prevent Thalassemia, he said: �All it requires is willingness of young couples to voluntarily undergo the blood test to check their carrier status. A small prick for them today can ensure that their child is not subjected to a lifetime of needles and painful transfusions and they do not have to share the child�s pain.�
He went on to add that a simple blood test has the power to prevent Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder in which the bone marrow cannot form sufficient red cells and red cell survival is also threatened.
D�costa said that one in every ten in Jharkhand is at least a Thalassaemia carrier. If both husband and wife are carriers, then there is a 75 per cent probability that the child would be a major, too. If it is dormant, it does not affect the normal life or work style of the person. If, on the other hand, it turns out to be major, it requires regular blood transfusions once or twice a month�.
The Anurag Foundation was set up eight years ago to assist Thalassemic patients by facilitating blood transfusions in a hygienic atmosphere. This is the only organisation in Jharkhand having this as their mission.
It may be mentioned that Anurag Foundation is a philanthropic organisation of the city. It comprises a small group of citizens of Jamshedpur who have been working for the well-being of children suffering from Thalassemia since April 2002. Its objective is to bring to children suffering from Thalassemia moments of joy and comfort in a life full of enforced pain and discomfort.