Experts have expressed concern over the rapid increase in genetic diseases in the country due to the high proportion of cousin marriages. The News reported on Wednesday.
Cousin marriages in Pakistan account for more than 65 percent of all marriages in the country, with the figure rising to 85 percent in some communities.
Addressing a Swiss-Pakistan workshop on “Genomic Disorders and Recessive Disorders” at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), experts warned that Pakistan has one of the highest rates of same-sex marriage in the world. is at the top.
Experts from Pakistan and Switzerland discussed the effects of genetic mutations caused by cousin marriage in a workshop held on Tuesday at Dow International Medical College’s Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan Auditorium.
Speaking on the occasion, DUHS Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Saeed Qureshi said that cultural, social and economic factors drive this trend, which, while having certain biological benefits, increases the risk of recurrent and dominant genetic disorders in children. Increase significantly.
They also revealed that genetic diseases like thalassemia, microcephaly and other hereditary conditions occur in families with frequent consanguinity.
“The alarming rate of cousin marriage in Pakistan calls for an urgent intervention in genetic research and health care,” the vice chancellor remarked.
Meanwhile, while expressing his views, the special guest of the workshop, Prof. Attaur Rahman, emphasized the importance of scientific development to deal with genetic diseases.
He observed that despite economic challenges, Pakistan is making progress in biological and genetic research.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Stylanos Antonarakis of the University of Geneva said that about 2,980 genes associated with recurrent diseases have been identified, while an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 remain unknown.
They explained that genomic variability can drive evolution but also imposes a burden of genetic disorders, especially in populations with high rates of cousin marriage.
Additionally, highlighting the high prevalence of genetic disorders in the country, including a 6 percent carrier frequency of thalassemia and one of the highest rates of microcephaly in the world, Dr. Anbarin Fatima of the Aga Khan University said the health care system I criticized the limited focus on genetic disorders, which is overwhelming. from infectious diseases and malnutrition.