Khaleej Times

1 May 2010, 10:22 PM

An appreciable percentage of congenital malformations and 100% of genetic diseases can be detected at pre marital test laboratories like the one set up in Sharjah by the govt.

An appreciable percentage, sometimes to the extend of 60 per cent of congenital malformations and 100 per cent of genetic diseases such as thalassemia and cell anemia, can be detected at pre marital test laboratories like the one set up in Sharjah by the government.

Dr Hanif Hassan, UAE Minister of Health, inspected the pre-marriage central lab in Sharjah and viewed the functions of the laboratory tests and its preparations for receiving and operating modern equipments to be provided to the laboratory in the near future.

He was accompanied by Dr Salem Al Darmaki, Acting Director General, Dr Mahmood Fikri, Executive Director for Health Policies and Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Acting Director of Primary Healthcare Central Administration.

He was briefed about the progress of work in the laboratory and the required services for pre-marriage test results in order to avoid infectious and genetic diseases as well as the reviewed steps starting from receiving samples, drawing conclusions and identifying the development sizes of equipments and devices in addition to the future plans of upgrading the services of the laboratory.  “We assure the importance of correcting misconceptions among the public about genetic diseases and emphasise our efforts in answering their questions in a scientific and credibility manner through clinical testing and counselling.

The Ministry also seeks to implement the goals of the programme in order to help society members avoid physiological, financial and physical burdens for having children with genetic diseases”, Dr Hassan said. 

Dr Nora Al Suwaidi, Director of pre-marriage tests at the Ministry of Health, said the importance of pre-marriage tests as they prevent more than 60 per cent of congenital malformations and 100 per cent of genetic diseases such as thalassemia and cell anemia.

Dr Al Suwaidi stated that the tests reduce transmission of infectious diseases from one member to another through early detection and treatment and protect the fetus from these diseases too.

Unfortunately, such diseases may lead to either the death of babies, mental disabilities or birth defects.

Hence, the costs of caring for these children are approximately Dh3 million during his/her lifetime. The adopted tests at the central laboratory include: genetic blood disease including blood type; rhesus factor disease, beta thalassemia, cell disease, hemoglobin in addition to other infectious and sexually transmitted diseases such as: AIDS, viral hepatitis B, viral hepatitis C, sexually transmitted diseases between spouses (syphilis), and immunisation against German measles for women.

Dr Fikri said the services provided by the testing programme include information about genetic family medical history, blood tests, counselling sessions for needed cases and other information vaccinations especially German measles and hepatitis B.

He said: “There are 10 centres or clinics which provide testing services all over the UAE.

“We are also working on the addition of new advanced equipments to the central laboratory and provision of integrated services in order to establish it as a referential center for genetic diseases tests in the country”.

Dr Fikri said the programme trains medical and technical staff of the testing and counselling clinics .