Khammam: Technical snag forces closure of thalassemia ward

Khammam: The ward that opened nine months back in Khammam district headquarters hospital for thalassemia patients has stopped functioning. Thanks to the lack of sincerity of officials in resolving the technical problems in the ward.

Collector R.V. Karnan had received a request seeking setting up the ward from an  NGO dealing with the patients. The NGO is facing difficulty in getting donations to transfuse blood to the patients.

The collector spoke to the higher officials and promised to open a ward for thalassemia patients.

In November, 2018, a special ward was opened in district headquarters hospital and Vaidya Vidhan Parishad commissioner  Manikraj also attended the programme on the  day. Manikraj is the state coordinator to the Arogyasri and assured that he will work on extending Arogyasri to the thalassemia patients.

The Sankalp organisation arranged beds and other infrastructure on its own. The government asked the organisation to look after the blood transfusion.

Interestingly, the ward was closed in a week due to technical problems. The officials assured that it will be opened after solving the technical problems. However, no decision was taken even after nine months.

There are 521 thalassemia patients in Khammam district and the parents of these children are facing a lot of trouble in changing blood to their wards with the help of a non-government organisation.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterised by less haemoglobin and fewer red blood cells in the body than normal. Haemoglobin is the  substance in the red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen. The low haemoglobin and fewer blood cells of thalassemia will cause anemia leaving the patient fatigued.

Treatment is not needed if the patient has mild thalassemia but if it is severe form of the disorder, the patient needs regular blood transfusions.

The patients from economically weaker sections cannot afford to send them to private hospitals for blood transfusion. The cost for blood transfusion is `2,500.

Noticing the problem of the patients, the voluntary organisation, is extending assistance to these patients with the help of philanthropists.

The medical and health officers are not in favour of giving a ward in the state hospital, stating that it would signal wrong precedent.