| In Bangladesh till recently, people were not aware of this killer disease. As such there was no survey carried out ascertain the number of Thalassaemia in the country.There is also no specific data about how many people are carrying Thalassaemia trait in this country. To ascertain how many people are born with Thalassaemia, and to provide them medical support and to carry out mass awareness campaign, the patients of the Thalassaemia patients, at a meeting decided to from a society in 1989 in the name and style “ Bangladesh Thalassaemia Samity” (Bangladesh Thalassaemia Society) with Eng. Omar Golam Rabbany as its President. The main task before the society were outlined as follows: |
| With a vision to contain and prevent the disease the samity(society) felt the necessity to have a hospital for providing one stop service to the Thalassaemia patients as there was no hospital, Clinic and medical facilities available in the country for providing treatment to the Thalassaemia patients. As a first step a small scale blood transfusion center was setup by the society with Eng. Omar Golam Rabbany as its president at his own residence at 7 Green Square,Green Road, Dhaka. Such activities were first registered with the social welfare department of the Govt. of Bangladesh in 1994.It followed registration with NGO Bureau of GOB and enlistment of membership with the Thalassaemia International Federation(TIF), Cyprus.
The Bangladesh Thalassaemia Hospital was finally affiliated with the Health Department of the Govt. of Bangladesh in 2004. As the hospital activities were expanded and the pressure of the patients were mounting, the hospital was shifted to its present premise at Green Garden Tower, 25/A, Green Road, Dhaka.
The lone hospital of its kind in the country is an unique health care institute providing ONE STOP MEDICAL SERVICE to the Thalassaemia patients and carrying out research activities on various genetic disorder.
Generous donations and assistance providing by the Japan Embassy, The British High Commission, Canadian Government, Mondial Group of Singapore and other donors and organizations helped establish the Bangladesh Thalassaemia Hospital in the country. |
to give a regular blood transfusion to the patients. 
to collect blood for the patients for transfusion. 
to establish a blood bank to store blood. 
to setup a laboratory for blood screening for safe transfusion of blood. 
to prevent the disease through Genetic councilling. 
to carryout a survey to ascertain the number of carriers of Thalassaemia and the number of the patients. 
to hold regular seminar, symposium and working on Thalassaemia 
to setup a research centre for gene analysis, DNA pre-natal and anti-natal tests and other blood related diseases. 
to launch campaign for blood screeining before marriage.