Bahrain to screen children for genetic diseases:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Bahrain ministry of health has initiated a blood screening programme for school children. According to the programme, some 6,500 children from 38 government and private schools will be screened for genetic diseases. The hereditary anaemia society is to provide BD20,000 ($53,200) towards the project, reports the Bahrain Tribune. Dr Shaikha Al Arayyed, head of the national hereditary disease committee and consultant clinical geneticist at the ministry of health, said that if the tests were carried out in private laboratories they would cost at least BD25 each. She hoped that parents and donations from society would help to fund the project. Dr Al Arayyed said it would help the spread of genetic diseases such as sickle cell anaemia, with which some 100 babies are born each year.