New cases of people in Bahrain suffering from the hereditary blood diseases sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia have dropped dramatically, Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer told MPs.

The number of new sickle cell anaemia patients dropped from 913 in 2002 to 247 in 2007, a fall of 73 per cent, he told parliament.

New thalassemia patients dropped by 84 per cent, from 95 to 15, over the same five years.

'The number of newborns with sickle cell anaemia in 2007 was 0.4 per cent compared to the total number of newborns for that year, which is a drop from 1.6 per cent in 2002,' said Dr Al Hamer. 'Thalassemia newborns were just 0.04 per cent in 2007 compared to 1.5 per cent in 2002.'

He said the ministry was providing the best treatment for the patients.

'We currently have 40 beds for sickle anaemia cases and are currently working on a new unit at the Salmaniya Medical Complex's Accidents and Emergency Unit,' said Dr Al Hamer, in response to an MP's question on the situation.

'A special unit for children with sickle cell anaemia is already operating at the Jidhafs Health Centre.'

Dr Al Hamer said Bahrain has records of sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia patients from 2002 until last year. 'There are 2,939 sickle cell anaemia and 223 thalassemia patients,' he said.

'The ministry has dealt with 8,382 sickle cell anaemia cases over the six- year period, in addition to 263 thalassemia cases.

'A total of 135 sickle cell anaemia patients have died, while four patients have died from other complications.

'Twenty-three thalassemia patients have died over the past six years, with one patient dying from other causes.'

Dr Al Hamer said the ministry had investigated nine cases of malpractice since 2005.

'One case was investigated in 2005 and malpractice was not found. The same happened in 2006 with one case and the medical team was cleared. But in 2007, a doctor was found negligent after the death of a patient,' he said.

'Last year, six cases were investigated and two have ended with the medical team in the first being cleared and guilty in the second, while four cases were still going on. Those who are found guilty face criminal charges.'-TradeArabia News Service