Rehman waiting for a miracle!

Yasir Ilyas

RAWALPINDI: September 28, 2010: In a developing country like Pakistan, where socio-economic condition of the majority of population is not good, having a child with thalassaemia is a big blow for parents. Not only parents have to face the pain of an ill child, but financially they have to come across a heavy pressure in terms of blood transfusion for their loved one.

Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder and can be simply stated as the inability of the body to produce adequate amount of haemoglobin in the red blood cells. The result is severe anaemia. Children suffering from this blood disorder require a blood transfusion every month in addition to treatment for iron overload due to the excessive number of transfusion.

Abdul Rehman is suffering from thalassaemia since his birth 14 years ago. He is the eldest among seven siblings. He has five brothers and one sister, but they do not carry this blood disorder. He was only four months old when he was diagnosed thalassaemia. Since then, he had repeatedly undergone blood transfusion, putting an extra financial burden on his parents.

Mehboob Ali, father of Abdul Rehman, is an electrician by profession. He does not have any regular source of income. Abdul Rehman’s mother, Insha Bibi, has to work to meet the expenses of treatment of Abdul Rehman.

According to Insha Bibi, Abdul Rehman requires blood transfusion twice a month. She said that the administration of Holy Family Hospital is kind enough to arrange blood for one transfusion every month, but for the second the family has to make arrangements itself. Each time, either they purchase blood or any relatives donate blood for Abdul Rehman.

Mehboob Ali has requested Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Chief Zamarrud Khan to make arrangements for the treatment of his son. If someone wants to help Abdul Rehman, he or she can contact his family on mobile phone number: 0323-5501619.