Kurdish Red Crescent says over 400 thalassemia patients visit Qamishli clinic
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Kurdish Red Crescent on Sunday said that more than 400 thalassemia patients regularly visit its clinic in the city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria for treatment and follow-up care.
The organization held an awareness event for thalassemia patients on the occasion of International Thalassemia Day, attended by patients and their families.
Ahmad Ahmad, a paramedic at the Kurdish Red Crescent clinic in Qamishli, told North Press that the number of thalassemia patients visiting the clinic exceeds 400.
“We do not have precise statistics on the total number of patients, and the number is increasing,” Ahmad said.
He attributed the rise in cases to the lack of pre-marital medical testing for the disease.
Ahmad also pointed to a shortage of medications required for thalassemia treatment.
“On this day [International Thalassemia Day], we call on civil society organizations and all relevant bodies to support thalassemia patients and help integrate them into society,” he added.
Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by low hemoglobin levels and a reduced number of red blood cells, and it includes several types.