ABHA, , 3 November — Dr. Yahya ibn Mater Al-Khalidi, a professor at the Men’s College for Health Sciences in Abha, underscored the need for couples to have premarital check-ups. This will minimize the incidence of genetic diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and hemophilia which are incurable.
These prevalence of these diseases is steadily increasing in the Kingdom.
While the growth rate of sickle cell anemia is 1 percent, 7.4 carry the disease without any apparent symptoms and pass to the coming generations.
Thalassemia, which is also known as Cooley’s anemia, is also spreading at the rate of 1 percent. Marriage between close relatives, which is put at 50 percent of all marriages in the Kingdom, is a major factor in the spread of the diseases. The rate of genetic diseases in the country is likely to rise further unless precautionary steps are not taken immediately.
Children suffering from such diseases are subjected to regular blood transfusion and is a financial burden on their family.
The suffering could have been avoided if their parents had undergone a medical check up before their marriage and listened to proper medical advice, the professor said.
