June 25, 2005

Heydar Aliyev Foundation will build specialized thalassemia Diagnostics and Treatment Center

Diagnostics and Treatment Center for thalassemia ills will be built due to funds of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. On this purpose an area has been allocated, project documents prepared, experience of several foreign countries studied and generalized.


Executive Director of Foundation Anar Elekberov informed that the program `For life without thalassemia`, which has been prepared on personal initiative and under leadership of President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, was welcomed with big sympathy and satisfaction not only by ills suffering from thalassemia, their natives but also by community in the republic, international organizations.


Reminding that thalassemia is one of the hardest problems of our country, executive director of Foundation said rate of expansion of thalassemia gene in a number of districts of Azerbaijan hits the record all over the world. Average ratio of thalassemia carriers concerning number of population is 8%. Every 12 people of the republic carries this pathological gene. Yearly about 200 children are born with big BETA-thalassemia. Number of such ills that are in life is more than 2000. These figures can be bigger indeed. Because in some remote districts of the country thalassemia is not diagnosed and born child does not have special examinations, dies in the first moments of its life and reason remains unknown. By forecast of World Health Organization, if prevention of thalassemia is not organized in required level in Azerbaijan, number of ills carrying this disease can reach 16,000 within coming 45 years.


Another goal of the program `For life without thalassemia` is to catch attention of community, foreign countries and International Thalassemia Organization to analysis of settlement ways of this problem, creation of specialized center and blood bank by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Azerbaijan to treat and diagnose thalassemia, development of voluntary donor service for ensuring children suffering from thalassemia with qualitative and safe blood, enlightenment of population for preventing expansion of thalassemia and forecasting the disease through prenatal diagnostics (it belongs specially to new marriages), preparation of high-level personnel in the country in frame of enlargement of cooperation with several states fighting the thalassemia.


Both state and community, as well different foundations, rich people can prevent this misery together. Major issue for Heydar Aliyev Foundation is creation of specialized center and blood bank and every kind of aid, positive proposal in this direction is welcomed by Foundation.