RIYADH, 27 June 2007 — Prince Sattam, the deputy governor of Riyadh, will inaugurate the Kingdom’s first Health Marriage Symposium next week, the Ministry of Health announced yesterday.
The two-day symposium will deal with blood diseases from marriages that take place between relatives and ways to prevent diseases being transmitted to children. Several national, Gulf, and international experts in the medical field are expected at the event.
“The symposium will create awareness among nationals and residents about the importance of taking blood tests before marriage,” said Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie. He said the government was keen on implementing a nationwide program to stop blood diseases caused by marriages between close relatives. The minister said the symposium would make recommendations that would benefit the community.
Saudi Arabia has mandated a blood test for couples prior to marriage. The test will determine whether both parties are free of blood diseases. If results indicate blood disease, however, no regulation prohibits the couple from marrying.
Up to 90 percent of Saudi couples who tested positive in premarital blood tests ignored warnings about the possible transmission of diseases to their children and proceeded to marry, according to a Health Ministry official.
“Ninety percent of them carried on with their marriage in the first year when the test was made mandatory,” said Dr. Ali Al-Amri, head of the non-chronic diseases department at the Health Ministry. “In the second year, 88 percent went ahead with marriage plans, followed by 84 percent in the third year.”
The Health Ministry official noted that awareness among Saudi youth about the seriousness of the matter could have drastic results in future. He added that couples’ stubbornness to proceed with marriage plans despite being tested positive was a clear indication that people were ignoring Health Ministry advice regarding the matter.
Al-Amri said the ministry currently provides free testing in local hospitals for all Saudis who wish to marry and that Health Ministry personnel inform couples if they are tested positive and provide them with counseling.
“If things continue in this way, the ministry will need 10 years to achieve 50 percent success in the nationwide campaign,” he said, adding that ignoring the test results means that more children, at risk of blood disease will be born.
