May 17, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1428

NAWABSHAH, May 16: Lives of over 250 patients, including children suffering from thalassaemia, were in danger as the administration of Thalassaemia Patients Welfare Centre has announced to discontinue its services from June 1.

The centre would be closed due to shortage of funds and non-approval of CCB scheme for Thalassaemia Patient Welfare Citizen Community Board, Nawabshah, by the district administration despite completion of formalities.

Thalassaemia Patients Welfare Citizens Community Board was formed in collaboration with the district government and Hakim Ali Zardari being its patron- in-chief.

The Thalassaemia Patient Welfare Centre, Nawabshah, is now operating in a building, which was earlier being used as a government dispensary courtesy the efforts of district nazim. Approximately 153 thalassaemia patients, majority of them children, were shifted to the centre after failing to get satisfactory treatment from the Nawabshah Medical College Hospital (NMC).

Some 100 more cases were also registered during a short span making a total of 250 plus from Nawabshah, Sanghar, Naushahro Feroze, Khairpur, Matiari, Badin as well as Hyderabad.

Dr. Sadiq Siyal, senior child specialist, NMC Hospital and Secretary of the Thalassaemia Patient Welfare Citizen Community Board and Dr. Ghulam Hyder Memon, Project Coordinator, told Dawn on Wednesday that efforts were being made for establishment of society as no proper space or facility was available for the patients in NMC Hospital and the patients were being treated with donations.

They said that the centre was opened six months back but was lacking equipments, including cell separator, micro-lab chemical analyser, haematology analyser, refrigerator and Eliza machine which were necessary for the treatment.

They further said that the centre was treating more than 15 patients daily and added that minimum expenditure of the centre stood at Rs. 0.1 million per month.

They said that services such as transfusion, tests, blood bags, needles etc were being provided to the patients free of cost.

They said that CCB was registered with Community Development Department and was approved by the district council after which PC-I was also submitted to EDO Agriculture who was also looking after the charge of EDO CDD from March 2007.

They said that the society completed all formalities required by the CD department and also deposited an amount of Rs. 1 million i.e 20 per cent of scheme in a bank but the district administration was least bothered and no meeting was held for final approval of the scheme.

They said that a similar society was successfully functioning in District Badin through Citizen Community Board while the patients were suffering in Nawabshah.

They said that as no more funds were available to run the centre, the services of the centre would be suspended from June 01, 2007 and patients and their families were also informed of the decision.

When contacted EDO of CDD, Dr. Karim Bux Leghari, said that he received PC-I of TPWS CCB in March 2007 which was forwarded to the EDO Finance and Planning for presenting it in the in District Development Committee meeting headed by the DCO.

He further said that he was not aware that why the scheme was not included in the DDC. However, he has been recently informed that the schemes would be approved in Budget Development Committee (BDC) headed by the District Nazim and not DDC.

When contacted, the EDO Finance and Planning, Rashid Qazi, said that the matter related to EDO CDD.

When this correspondent reminded him that the EDO CDD has submitted the PC-I to his office in March, he replied that he could not provide any information about it as he does not remember it and had no staff to assist him.

When contacted, the DCO of Nawabshah, Ahmed Bux Khokhar, avoided comments over the issue. District Nazim Faryal Talpur said that she did not know that who was working as EDO CDD in her district.

She further said that she was very much concerned about the thalassaemia patients and she would call a meeting of Budget Development Committee for the approval of the scheme.

The families of thalassaemia patients have demanded of the district nazim and concerned authorities to take notice of the closure of centre and provide funds so that the lives of their children could be saved.

The CCB was registered with the Community Development Department under SLGO 2001 a few months ago with a vision of thalassaemia-free society.