Balochistan govt makes pre-marital Thalassemia test mandatory

The Balochistan government has decided to make the HB Electrophoresis test mandatory prior to marriage in an effort to prevent the spread of thalassemia across the province.

Speaking to Geo News, Secretary of Health and Chairman of the Balochistan Blood Transfusion Authority, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Panizai, said that the rising number of thalassemia cases is primarily due to the prevalence of cousin marriages in the province’s tribal society.

In response, the provincial government, in collaboration with the health department, has taken the decision to enforce mandatory testing before marriage to curb the disease.

Panizai further stated that if required, amendments will be made to the existing legislation to implement this decision effectively.

He added that the government will ensure the availability of HB Electrophoresis testing facilities at public laboratories across the province.

In addition, a public awareness campaign will be launched to educate citizens about the importance of thalassemia prevention and the new pre-marital testing requirement.