Saturday, 7 December 2013 00:00
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Union Assurance (UA), the country’s trusted insurance solutions provider recently conducted five comprehensive awareness programs on the prevention of Thalassaemia in collaboration with the National Thalassaemia Centre, Kurunegala. The organisation held these programs with the aim of creating responsible citizens equipped with the knowledge about this easily preventable but life threatening, inherited blood disorder. Thalassaemia has emerged as the most common genetic disease in Sri Lanka, where if not treated, can result in early childhood death.
As per recent statistics, 80 children are born with the condition in the country annually. The condition also poses as an increasing burden for health-care services in the country where more than 650 pints of blood and USD 70,000 worth of Desferrioxamine (used to treat patients) are utilised monthly. Further, iron chelation is carried out through a machine costing US$ 470 per patient, per treatment.
“Thalassaemia is essentially a young person’s condition and we are trying to initially teach the importance of preventing Thalassaemia to school teachers so they can pass on this message to the younger generation – especially to prevent marriages between two carriers and that is the most effective way of preventing this serious condition,” said National Thalassaemia Centre Kurunegala Consultant Child Specialist and North West and Central Provinces St. John Ambulance Provincial Commissioner Dr. J.M. Nilhan.
Thalassaemia can be 100% prevented
Thalassaemia can be 100% prevented through awareness building. UA conducted five such awareness programs targeting school teachers in the Ibbagamuwa Education Zone, North Western Province, Kuliyapitiya Education Zone and Nikaweratiya Education Zone in partnership with the National Thalassaemia Centre. Another program was conducted for school teachers in the Kebitigollawa Education Zone on a special request. Lectures during the program included insights on how carriers can be identified through a simple blood test and what precautions can be taken to prevent this condition. Apart from Thalassaemia awareness, a comprehensive lecture is conducted by Dr. J.M. Nilam on developing mental concepts in children.
Overall, over 400 school teachers were educated on Thalassaemia prevention. “By targeting teachers, awareness is trickled down to students – essentially the younger generation who will be the key to eradicating Thalassaemia in Sri Lanka,” said UA Marketing and Communications AGM Dharshana Amarasynghe.
“Overall, CSR is firmly embedded in the UA way of life. Awareness building on the prevention of Thalassaemia, Diabetes and Dengue are core areas of our Health Awareness CSR platform. We are taking on the challenge of incorporating CSR to be in line with the company’s long term vision of social involvement with local communities, and in the long run, help sustain the economy and development of the nation,” he concluded. UA hopes to keep strengthening its CSR reach and to be part of positive social change as a ‘trusted’ insurance provider to the nation.
Source:http://www.lasrilanka.com/la2/userControls/bizEntryShow.aspx?BizEntryPublicID=BP-0809-2400-5L3-D2Khttp://newsfirst.lk/english/node/20236
