‘Discourage close kin from marrying to prevent Thalassaemia’

3rd October, 2012

KOTA MARUDU: One way to prevent incidences of Thalassaemia is for village leaders to forbid couples with close blood relations from getting married unless they have gone for blood screening.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili said it was critical for couples who are close relatives to determine whether they had the genetic disorder or are Thalassaemia gene carriers.

“This would prevent them passing on the genetic disorder to their offsprings,” he said when launching the World Thalassaemia Day Sabah level celebration held at the Kota Marudu Community Hall.

Dr Ongkili, who is also Kota Marudu MP, said he had directed the village headmen and village committees in his constituency to make it a requirement for would-be spouses who are known to have close blood relations.

“This does not mean couples with Thalassaemia cannot marry but knowing their health status could help them make more informed decisions,” he said of health condition which is linked to marriages between people of close blood relations and is prevalent in the rural areas.

Dr Ongkili also said that out of the 1,000-odd known Thalassaemia patients in Sabah, the highest were registered in hospitals in Kota Kinabalu (391), followed by Sandakan (135) and Kota Marudu with the third highest at 103.

“However, the patients in the Kota Marudu hospital include some of those from Kudat and Pitas who prefer to be treated in Kota Marudu,” he said.

Read More : New Sabah Times