KUWAIT CITY, March 2, (KUNA): Under auspices of Kuwaiti Minister of Health Dr Mohammad Al-Haifi the first GCC conference on iron overload (hemochromatosis) opened here on Saturday with a constellation of eminent specialists from around the globe taking part.

Addressing the opening session on behalf of the minister, Director of Al-Sabah Medical Area Dr Adel Al-Asfor said the hereditary blood disorders such as haemochromatosis, thalassaemia and anemia turned to be among the most complicated health problems with highly growing prevalence rate.

“The available data show that 900 new cases are reported annually,” Dr Al-Asfor said, noting that the Ministry of Health keeps in touch with the global medical research centers in order to introduce the best practices in treating and combating such diseases to the country.

“The initiative to host this regional conference stems from Kuwait’s keenness on modernizing the health sector and providing the hospitals with the latest medical equipment,” he added.

Meanwhile, chairperson of Kuwait thalassaemia association and of the conference Maha Borosli said her country has 375 thalassaemia patients.

She voiced hope that the two-day gathering will reach results that could help reduce the suffering of the patients and curb the prevalence of the blood diseases.

On his part, Director of the Regional Collaborating Office of the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) Essam Zuhair said thalasaemaia affects a growing number of people in the Gulf region.

Zuhair, also supervisor of the Sultan Bin Khalifa International Thalassaemia Award, highlighted the importance of public awareness in curbing the risks of iron overload particularly among the schoolchildren.