North South University and ideSHi organise successful Thalassemia awareness and free carrier screening programme

North South University and ideSHi on Wednesday (22 February) jointly organised a Thalassemia Awareness and Free Carrier Screening Programme at the university's campus in Bashundhara.

The event was a resounding success, attracting many NSU faculty, staff, and students eager to learn more about thalassemia and get screened for the genetic disorder, reads a press release.

As the keynote speaker, Dr Firdausi Qadri, lead scientist at ideSHi, emphasised the importance of raising awareness about thalassemia and the suffering that children and parents face. She explained that creating awareness and screening for thalassemia could prevent the spread of this genetic disorder.

The chief guest of the programme, Prof Ismail Hossain, pro vice-chancellor of NSU, spoke about the economic burden of thalassemia and emphasized that screening before marriage and making rational decisions can help overcome this crisis.

Dean of the School of Health and Life Sciences, Prof. Hasan Mahmud Reza, stressed the need for continuous campaigns, and screening countywide to reduce sufferings of thalassemic children. He explained that this would ultimately affect parents' quality of life and reduce the economic burden on families.

Successfully screened many participants for thalassemia, who were grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the genetic disorder and take steps to prevent it.