The Speaker of the House of Representatives Anita Demetriou held a meeting today with a delegation of the National Thalassaemia Committee (NCC), which was established on 20 February 2018 on the basis of a relevant decision of the Council of Ministers. This committee performs an advisory role to the Ministry of Health as the statutory body for the management of haemoglobinopathies in Cyprus.
During this meeting, the work and activities of the NTH were presented and the challenges and problems faced by the organisation were discussed. In particular, the urgent need to create an integrated National Strategy for Thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies in terms of prevention, research, innovation, social welfare and management of these diseases was highlighted.
Particular emphasis was placed on the absence of a structure of specialised doctors to ensure the required hierarchical control and cooperation between clinics, as well as the need to group all medical officers specialised in haemoglobinopathies.
They also discussed issues relating to the high cost of pre-implantation testing, which acts as a deterrent for new couples, the lifelong care of thalassaemics, the adjustment of the current subsidy policy, the burden on the GHS due to the immigration problem and the need for the immediate inclusion of innovative medicines and treatments in the GHS.
The President of the Parliament, acknowledging the role played by the SCT in addressing thalassaemia, stressed the need to implement the above-mentioned objectives and stressed that, within the framework of its competences, she will take every possible initiative to solve the problems faced by thalassaemics, making a positive contribution to the efforts made by this committee.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
