Welcome Address of Conference Co-Presidents

Dear Colleagues,

Azerbaijan concerns to the countries with the greatest incidence of distribution of a thalassaemia gene and accordingly in our country there is a plenty of the patients, suffering from this disease. Recently the Parliament of our country accepted the law about the state care of patients with hereditary blood diseases and Prime-Minister authorizes the governmental program on thalassaemi. According to the accepted law our state assumes liability on implementation of the thalassaemia control programme. It will allow to prevent a birth of new thalassaemics and to improve treatment of already born patients that will lead to prolongation and improvement of quality of patients. Participation in work of conference of famous scientists and specialists in thalassaemia field to allow to discuss such actual problems of thalassaemia, as epidemiology and genetics, prenatal and prei-mplantation diagnostics, bone marrow, stem cells and cord blood transplantation, clinical management, maintenance of patients with safe blood, etc. Within the framework of conference the round table on a theme «Ways of realization of the thalassaemia control program in Azerbaijan» will be lead, that certainly will help us with performance this programme.

We hope, that the social program prepared by us to allow dear participants and guests to get acquainted with the nature, culture and history of our ancient and fine country. Hoping to meet you on May, 10-11, 2007 in capital of our country.

I thank you for attention and express you the best regards.

Chingiz Asadov
Chairman of Hematology and Transfusiology Society of Azerbaijan

M.Gasgay str.87, AZ 1007, Baku, Azerbaijan
Telefax: +994 12 4403561
E-mail: asadovchingiz@yahoo.com

Dear Colleagues,

Beta thalassaemia is a very common genetic disease causing health problems in Azerbaijan. The incidence of beta thalassaemia trait is three times more (8-10 per cent) than which we have in Turkey. High incidence of ?-thalassaemia has caused an increase in homozygous and double heterozygotes patients in Azerbaijan. It is known that prenatal diagnosis has reduced the number of affected births in some countries. However, premarital screening and prenatal diagnosis laboratories have not been settled up in Azerbaijan yet. Genetic heterogeneity of the beta globin gene mutations is necessary for performing the prenatal diagnosis.

For this reason, I characterized mutation types of beta-thalassaemia in Azerbaijan in 1992 [Curuk MA, Yuregir GT, Asadov CD et al. Hum. Genet. 1992, 90(4):417-9]. There was no accepted law about the prevention of effected births and taking care of patients with beta thalassaemia in Azerbaijan but the law was accepted in 2006. Now, it is time to organize the thalassaemia control program as soon as possible. Prevention of hemoglobinopathies has been performed through screening of carries, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in Turkey for the last two decades. There are many experts on thalassaemia who would like to help to establish prevention programs in Azerbaijan. We would like to organize a joint conference Actual Problems of Thalassaemia between Azerbaijan and Turkey in Baku, May 10-11, 2007. We expect that this symposium will be helpful for meeting and sharing the experiences about beta thalassaemia by the Turkish and Azeri scientists.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Azerbaijan.

Akif Çürük
President of Hemoglobin Society, Turkey