Leucodepletion in Thalassaemia Major Patients in Pakistan

Abstract

Thalassaemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormal form of haemoglobin is made due to genetic aberration. Although no national database exists to calculate the exact number of thalassaemics, but it is estimated that there are 9.8 million carriers of the disease in Pakistan [1]. Consanguineous marriage is the leading cause for this high prevalence rate due to which the thalassaemia gene is trapped within the affected families. These patients are dependent on regular blood transfusions to sustain life in addition to expensive chelation therapy and other medical management. As a result, thalassaemia is a major healthcare challenge and places great psychological and financial trauma on the affected families and is a huge burden on the national healthcare delivery system [2].