Mohammad Masud Majumder:
A roundtable discussion was held today at the conference room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on the occasion of International Thalassemia Day 2026 at the initiative of the Hematology Society of Bangladesh (HSB).
The discussion meeting discussed in detail various aspects of thalassemia prevention, diagnosis, treatment and public awareness raising in the country. The program was presided over by Professor Dr. Amin Lutful Kabir, President of the Hematology Society of Bangladesh. Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, Professor Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas and Director General of the Directorate General of Health Education, Professor Dr. Nazmul Hossain were present as special guests. The special guests said in their speeches that thalassemia has emerged as an important public health problem in Bangladesh. It is very important to take effective and coordinated initiatives to prevent this disease now. They emphasized the importance of increasing public awareness in preventing thalassemia and blood tests or screening before marriage.
The discussion meeting was also attended by the General Secretary of the Hematology Society of Bangladesh, Associate Professor Dr. Md. Adnan Hasan Masud, Scientific Affairs Secretary Associate Professor Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, along with prominent hematologists, pediatricians, gynecologists and obstetricians of the country, thalassemia patients and their caregivers, representatives of the Society of Transfusion Medicine, representatives of various pharmaceutical companies, President and General Secretary of Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum (BHRF), and media personnel.
The speakers said in their speeches that thalassemia is a preventable hereditary disease. It is possible to significantly reduce the spread of this disease through proper public awareness, pre-marital screening and timely testing. They emphasized the expansion of thalassemia screening programs at the national level and increasing awareness among the people. The discussion also emphasized on reducing the price of iron chelation drugs for thalassemia patients, ensuring easy availability of drugs, expanding medical services at the marginal level and ensuring safe blood transfusion. The speakers also mentioned that it is important to take coordinated initiatives at the government and private levels to ensure quality treatment and long-term integrated services for thalassemia patients. The participants in the discussion meeting called for further strengthening the national action plan for the prevention of thalassemia and increasing awareness activities at the educational institutions and community levels.
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