Accomplishment

Infra-Structure.

Kashif Iqbal Thalassaemia Care Centre (KITCC) Trust has very recently emerged as a ray of hope for distressed thalasssaemic families in Pakistan.

Initially, the office of KITCC was maintained at the residence of founding Chairman – Mr. Muhammad Iqbal for two years at Gulshan-e-Hadeed Karachi. Later on, the management acquired two room accommodation in Gulshan-e-Rafi to house the KITCC office and used a Suzuki Car for counseling with thalassaemics, humanitarians, medical experts, Government officials and intellectuals. However, neither financial nor housing and technical constraints could hamper the awareness raising and facility promotion programme of KITCC at any stage. The devotion of its working team kept the things moving ahead.

Successful efforts were made to provide organizational basic infra-structure to the trust in the first three years of establishment. with the efforts of Mr. Haq. Nawaz Akhtar, former Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication & Chief Patron Trustee of KITCC, the Trust has managed to acquire a floor in Mir Usman Ali Memorial Trust Building at Laiqabad Deh Landhi, Karachi – 75120. The floor has been renovated to accommodate KITCC Laboratory, doctor room, clinic and three – bed patients ward. After completion of renovation work, the center was inaugurated by Lt. Col (Rtd) M. Afzal Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Steel on 18^th, Feb 2001. He was impressed with the services being provided to thalassaemics by KITCC and announced support for equipping laboratory and clinic by donating some amount from the fund voluntarily donated by the employees for financing Bone Marrow transplantation expenses of Kashif Iqbal in 1996.

The Trust has already equipped with essential furniture, Computer, Printer, Laboratory, Equipments diagnostic appliances, OPD furniture, fridge and Air Conditioner. Bath Island Lions Club donated one Sysmex Analyzer to provide diagnostic services to people at risk and to investigate carrier population. Services of Doctor and Lab. Technician, Nurse Computer Assistant, Office Assistant and Social Mobilizer have also been acquired to strengthen the capability of the center.

A Board of Medical advisor, which includes renowned thalassaemic specialists, has also been rendering services honorary. A core of volunteers, Board of Trustees, Management and Zakat Committees are functioning to frame policies and programme and implement them through Managing Trustee and his assistants.

Glimpse of Services.

Now KITCC is not only involved in awareness raising programme systematically, advocacy preventive measures, facilitating in diagnosis and treatment of Thalassaemia Patient, but it is also providing certain services at optimal level to the Thalassaemic families, which include:

 

Ø      Awareness Building campaign about Thalassaemia through issuance of literature, guideline, newsletter, periodicals and pamphlet with large circulation free of charge.

 

Ø     Arrangement for blood transfusion to Thalassaemia patients.

 

Ø     Providing Iron chelation Therapy with desferrioxamine on gratis from zakat funds and Training of patients on use of infusion pump for desferroxamine their children themselves.

 

Ø      Arrangement, for manufacturing Infusion Pump locally to supply directly to patients at an affordable price to well-to-do Thalassaemic families and without charge to poors.

 

Ø      Motivation for initiating iron-chelation Therapy regularly at an appropriate stage to avoid iron-overload in the bodies of Thalassaemia Major Patients.

 

Ø      Appropriate monitoring to maintain a stable iron balance.

 

Ø      Organizing Conferences, Seminar, Workshop, Rallies, Walks Camping, Counseling of people at risk and participation medical camps and exhibitions as a segment of awareness Building Campaign.

Ø      Follow up of activities with regularity.

 

Ø      Psychological support to thalassaemic families.

  

Ø      Celebration of national and International Days, wherein literature on thalassaemia are distribute and blood test facilities are provided to create awareness about Thalassaemia.

Preliminary Survey.

With a view to investigate the rate of incidence of Thalassaemia in various clans, a preliminary survey was conducted by the chairman KITCC in 1996 with the collaboration of Institute of Pathology, Armed Forces, Rawalpindi. He collected 50 blood samples each from five most common clans transported the sample personally to Rawalpindi, for getting test of Thalassaemia. The results so derived were analyzed which indicate that the percentage incidence was the highest in Gujrate families because of the wedding arrangements within cousins as shown in the following analysis.

Table 1. Frequency distribution of b in Karachi During 1996.

 

 

Having identified Thalassaemic families, the team of KITCC initiated the work of group meeting and counseling in the clans having incidence of Thalassaemia.

Registration of Patients.

The administration of KITCC made lot of efforts to collect necessary information about the Thalassaemia patients and their families. Till the end of 2002, 800 Thalassaemia Major patients along with their addresses and other essential information have so far been registered with KITCC. They include 650 patients registered since inception till Dec. 2001 whereas registered patient during the reporting year are comprised to be 150.  They are being given guidance regularly and are being visited periodically. Emphasis is being given on checking of reproduction of Thalassaemic Children.

Among registered patients, presently 400 Thalassaemia patients are being facilitated in their diagnostic and treatment process on gratis through the support of some humanitarians and zakat funds. Free services given to patients for iron chelation therapy by KITCC. 

Designed and Hosted by Pakistan Net Tech.