Boost for team helping thalassemia patients

Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families in which the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin - the protein in red blood cells - leading to mild or potentially fatal anaemia. Thailand has 50,000 thalassemia cases with several million others either carriers of the disease or likely to contract it.

The foundation's and Siriraj Hospital thalassemia specialist paediatrician Dr Vip Viprakasit said the working team comprised thalassemia patient representatives from hospitals nationwide who will support patient access to medicine and medical treatments through coordination centres at Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Pathom, Songkhla and Chumphon.

Team leader Chutikorn Phulsap said that besides assisting and giving moral support to patients, the team has campaigned for better medical care for thalassemia victims, especially through the universal healthcare project. There had been reports of many not being treated by specialised doctors and insufficient followup.

She said the transfer to hospitals with thalassemiaspecialist doctors was difficult and inconsistent, with patients not getting thorough healthcare and developing complications such as diabetes or liver cancer.

Details at www.thalassemia.or.th