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Help Blood Bank and Thalassemia Care Center is an initiative of HIWT
(Help International Welfare Trust) to provide world class treatment to underserved.

Thalassemia

	It is an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce less hemoglobin
	Hemoglobin helps red blood cells spread oxygen throughout body
	Low levels of hemoglobin may cause anemia
	Physical changes come in later stages

Why Thalassemia

	In Pakistan, 5 out of a 100 people are affected by Thalassemia
	5,000 babies are born every year with the deadly disease
	75,000 to a 100,000 patients are suffering from Thalassemia at present
	Thalassemia is emerging as a huge threat to the Pakistani population in days to come

Thalassemia Treatment

	Treatment for patients with Thalassemia major includes chronic blood transfusion therapy, iron chelation, splenectomy, and allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation.
	Thalassemia major patients receive frequent blood transfusions that lead to iron overload.
	Iron chelation treatment is necessary to prevent iron overload damage to the internal organs in patients with Thalassemia Major.
	Because of recent advances in iron chelation treatments, patients with Thalassemia major can live long lives if they have access to proper treatment.
	Thalassemia intermedia patients vary a lot in their treatment needs, depending on the severity of their anemia.
	All Thalassemia patients are susceptible to health complications that involve the spleen (which is often enlarged and frequently removed) and gall stones.
	These complications are mostly prevalent to Thalassemia major and intermedia patients.

HELP Thalassemia Campaign – An overview

	Started with an idea to serve the underserved
	Discussed and shared with team members
	Designed a formal team for this campaign
	Made a basic feasibility plan
	Negotiated with CDGK
	Did an e-mail campaign for introduction of project.
	Involved people by asking for ideas
	Made an advisory board
	Developing a team for people who excused to join advisory board but still are willing to work with HELP

Way Forward

	Building a Blood Bank and Care Center to serve the underserved Thalassemia patients
	Building a network (national and international) of people who are willing / have potential to work with HELP
	Implementation of clause “pre-marriage blood test"
	Launching of call center to provide information and motivate/facilitate blood donors
	Launching of an interactive website to address thalassemia, updated information, case studies and treatment

Estimated Cost and Timelines

Three years project (2010 - 2013)

Phase 1 (Dec 2011) PKR. 20 M

Phase 2 (Dec 2012) PKR. 20 M

Phase 3 (Dec 2013) PKR. 10 M

Proposed Activities

	Program orientation for Govt. and Corporate sector
	Awareness campaigns in schools
	Mushaaira
	Cricket Tournament
	Theatre
	Dinner for corporate sector icons to generate funds
	National conference
	Pictorial IEC material (to be distributed in all activities)

Expectations from Advisory Board

	Utilization of vision and experience of advisory board
	Close coordination and support on each step
	Decisive and active role
	Help in making national and international network of potential supporters
	Keeping Thalassemia as a hot issue round the year by
	- Media teams
	- Behavior Change teams
	- Social networks
	- Religious groups
	Use of resources to get the pre-marriage blood test clause implemented in Nikah form as a mandatory clause
	Including Thalassemia in educational curriculum to aware about the potential threats of inter-marriages