No dedicated thalassaemia, haemophilia unit in Karnal

Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, March 18

Family members of thalassaemia and haemophilia patients are a harried lot as the district does not have a dedicated unit in both the health institutes — Civil Hospital and Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital (KCGMCH).

The patients have to go to Delhi, Chandigarh and Rohtak or shell out money at private hospitals.

As per the data of the Health Department, the district has 52 thalassaemia and 32 haemophilia patients. Patients are complaining about the lack of facilities for both treatments in their hometown.

They claimed that they had been raising the issue for the past several years and had met CM Manohar Lal Khattar also but to no avail.

“My son is suffering from thalassaemia for the past 19 years. I have to go to Delhi for blood transfusion every three months as there is no dedicated unit for thalassaemia patients here in the city. Temporary arrangements are made when any patient comes to KCGMCH, but non-availability of specialists poses a life threat to the patient,” said Jitender Kumar, a resident of the city. Besides, there is no proper arrangement for medicines, he maintained.

The government should establish a dedicated unit either at KCGMCH or Civil Hospital, he demanded.

Rajinder Madan, who has organised 55 blood donation camps for thalassaemia patients, said that he, along with other members of Shri Krishan Kirpa Yuva Manch, has been organising blood donation camps for the past 18 years.

“No special unit is available in the city for thalassaemia and haemophilia patients. We have requested the CM to establish a dedicated unit in Karnal, but nothing has been done so far,” Madan said.

Dr Surinder Kashyap, Director, KCGMCH, and Dr Piyush, Principal Medical Officer (PMO), Civil Hospital, admitted to the lack of special units for patients, but claimed providing blood transfusion at the paediatric wards if any patient comes to them. However, they also admitted to the shortage of paediatrician.

“We do not have any special unit, but we provide blood transfusion facility either at the blood bank or at the paediatric ward if any patient comes to us. We are also providing blood units to thalassaemia and factor-8 and 9 to haemophilia patient on priority basis,” said Dr Kashyap.

52 thalassaemia patients in district

• As per the data of the Health Department, the district has 52 thalassaemia and 32 haemophilia patients
• Patients are complaining about the lack of facilities for both treatments in their hometown
• They say they have to go to Delhi, Chandigarh and Rohtak or shell out money at private hospitals