Empowering Women in Thalassemia Care: Bridging the Gap

Bristol Myers Squibb, in collaboration with several UAE entities including the UAE Genetic Diseases Association, Emirates Thalassemia Society, Sheikh Zayed Centre for Genetic Research, and Emirates Health Services, has partnered with the Thalassaemia International Federation to raise awareness about thalassemia and support the patient community. The campaign was organized on the occasion of World Thalassemia Day, which is observed on May 8 every year. The event encourages global communities to work together to improve knowledge and care around the disease that affects over 80 million people worldwide.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of an abnormal form of haemoglobin, leading to anemia and other conditions such as bone abnormalities and growth deficiencies. Patients living with thalassemia require lifelong red blood cell transfusions and a therapeutic program to maintain quality of life and increase life expectancy.

Bristol Myers Squibb partnered with several content creators in the region, including Zahra Lari, the first Emirati figure skater and content creator, to raise awareness about the condition and celebrate thalassemia warriors. Amina Khalil, movie and TV star and Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), shared a video with her Instagram followers to raise awareness about the condition in Egypt. In Saudi Arabia, Bristol Myers Squibb partnered with UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and content creator, Muna Abu Sulayman, who shared important thalassemia information with her Instagram followers.

Dr. Maryam Mattar, Founder and Chairwoman of the Emirates Genetic Diseases Association, stated that with the support of the UAE’s government, the partnership of government authorities, and the active participation of community members in programs to empower the community with tools for early detection, treatment, and prevention, the UAE reduced the prevalence of thalassemia patients from one new birth a week in 2004 to one new birth every two years in 2016.

Re-reported from the story originally published in LokmatTimes English