The rate of anaemia cases in urban areas is lower in proportion to that in villages but is still high enough to pose considerable risks, according to a 2000 study of Dhaka University’s Institute of Nutrition and Food Science.
In the rural areas, the prevalence of anaemia is 43% among adolescent girls, 45% among non-pregnant women and 49% among the pregnant ones, the study found.
Dr Abu Jafar Mohammed Saleh, coordinator and consultant of adult haematology and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka, used the findings of the study while addressing a seminar at the hospital yesterday.
The seminar titled “Differential Diagnosis of Anaemia” was organised by the hospital and was attended by around 80 doctors from Dhaka.
Dr Jafar shared valuable knowledge on the diagnosis and management of anaemia at the seminar.
“Among preschool children living in rural areas, the rate of anaemia has gone down by about 30% but the current level (53%) still falls within the internationally agreed high risk figure,” he said.
According to World Health Organisation, there were about 3% beta-thalassemia carriers and about 4% Hb E/beta-thalassemia carriers in Bangladesh in 2010.
R Basil, chief executive officer and executive director of STS Holdings Ltd which owns Apollo Hospitals Dhaka, said: “We will continue such initiatives in the future to provide knowledge on the prevention of diseases and to create awareness in our communities. We want all doctors to consider us a friendly organisation who can play a vital role in healing Bangladesh.”
The seminar, which was also attended by the top management of the hospital, was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session.
