The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has handed over a fresh consignment of medical supplies to the Frontier Foundation Peshawar to strengthen treatment services for thalassemia patients across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The medical consumables were provided under TİKA’s Medical Support for Thalassemia Patients Project. The handover ceremony was attended by TİKA Islamabad Program Coordinator Saliha Tuna, Frontier Foundation Chairman Sahibzada Haleem, Regional Director General Health Services Dr. Basit Saleem, Special Secretary Health KP Saeedullah, and several noted philanthropists.
Thalassemia continues to pose a serious public health challenge in Pakistan. Health officials estimate that 5–7% of the population cover 10 million peoples carry the thalassemia gene, while around 5,000 new cases emerge each year. Between 50,000 and 100,000 patients nationwide rely on regular, lifelong blood transfusions. KP records some of the highest prevalence rates among children, making safe transfusion services vital.
The Frontier Foundation currently provides free hematology services to more than 4,000 registered patients in the province and supplies screened blood products to both public and private hospitals. The equipment donated by TİKA—including blood bags, transfusion sets, cannulas, screening kits and hematology reagents—is expected to improve patient safety and expand the Foundation’s service capacity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Special Secretary Health Saeedullah expressed gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and TİKA, saying their support reflects “meaningful and human-centered cooperation” between the two countries in the health sector.
TİKA Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna praised the Frontier Foundation’s sustained efforts in treating thalassemia, hemophilia and other blood disorders. “Thalassemia is not only a medical issue but a social challenge that demands preventive policies and continued support. We are pleased to contribute to this mission,” she said.
