Schools, women associations honoured in Al Dakhiliyah

NIZWA, MAY 1 - Nizwa Hospital and the Omani Society of Hematology have honoured the schools and Omani women’s associations in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah which have successfully implemented the programme, ‘Awareness and partnership for a generation free from hematological diseases’, at Al Wafa hall in Nizwa. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Shaikh Harith bin Saif al Dughaishi, Wali of Nakhl. The honouring ceremony included a debate on genetic blood diseases among students of Al Ain School and Al Shathaa bint Jaber School. Dr Khalifa bin Hamad al Shaqsi, Director of Nizwa Hospital, in his speech said genetic blood disorder is one of the most common inherited diseases in the Sultanate. The percentage of people with this condition in the Sultanate is 2 per cent. Al Dakhiliyah is where the highest number of such cases are reported. If both parents carry the disease, the risk is higher among children. If one of the parents is carrier of the disease and the other is infected, the probability of infection per child is 50 per cent. “Genetic blood disorder may affect everyday life of the student at home, school and work due to frequent visits to hospital, and hence the importance of this initiative,” Al Shaqsi said. Professor Salam bin Salem al Kindi said that many of in society suffer from genetic diseases like thalassemia and other blood disorders. These are not lifestyle diseases but they are hereditary. That is why we advise early detection of such conditions before marriage.