Businessmen urged to assist thalassemic children

Member Managing Committee of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and chairman KCCI committee on banking, insurance and corporate responsibility Attiq-ur-Rehman has said 6000 children are being born with Thalassemia every year in the country and joint efforts should be taken to check the growing rate of thalassemia.

This he stated while giving briefing during a meeting with businessmen Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shamsi, Shoaib Ashfaq Batla and other traders at Pakistan Automobile Spare Parts Importers and Dealers Association (PASPID) office here on Friday.

On the occasion, Afzal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation CEO Dr Asim Qidwai was also present.

Attiq-ur-Rehman regretted that health sector had been overlooked since the inception of the country. He said the condition of government hospitals and miserable and prices of medicine have gone out of the reach of poor people. He urged businessmen to play their due role to save thalassemic children. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami said businessmen community is ready to assist the affected children.

Shoaib Ashfaq said thousands of rupees have to be spent on children suffering from Thalassemia. He said there is dire need to take such steps besides raising awareness among people to eradicate the disease.

Dr Asim Qidwai said there are 300 children registered in his cancer hospital while two of them had got bone marrow transplanted with the assistance of philanthropists. He said dozens of children are being provided free treatment in the center.

He said Rs6000 per month are spent on young children suffering from thalassemia while Rs10000 per month on elder children, and this expense is footed by the philanthropists.