Bill prepared to make Thalassaemia test mandatory before marriage in Punjab.
In a positive twist, a preliminary bill draft has been prepared to make thalassemia testing mandatory before marriage in Punjab.
The Punjab Prevention and Control of Thalassemia Bill 2024, introduced as a private member’s bill by Ali Haider Gilani, Parliamentary Leader of the Pakistan People’s Party in the Punjab Assembly, has been moved to the Department of Specialized Healthcare for feedback by the Law Department.
A special committee will check it and, upon approval by the Punjab Assembly, will come into effect.
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According to the draft received by “Jang,” the bill aims to establish an effective system where the people of Punjab will have access to both genetic counseling and thalassemia diagnosis services.
Thalassemia diagnosis will be made more accessible to those affected and the Punjab government will ensure it..
Healthcare facilities treating thalassemia patients will also be required to screen all blood relatives of affected children.
Additionally, NGOs working on thalassemia must allocate 10% of their income toward thalassemia diagnosis.
According to the draft, all individuals capable of having children will be required to undergo the Hemoglobin Electrophoresis test for thalassemia.
Fine
A fine of Rs100,000 will be imposed on any government, semi-government, private institution, or healthcare facility that fails to carry out the required screening.
If any medical practitioner or healthcare facility conducts thalassemia screening without the individual’s consent, it will be considered an offense under Section 337E of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) 1860.
