At least 10 children lost their lives to thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder, over the past year in the northern province of Balkh, a local health official said.

The head of the provincial department of health, Najibulah Tawana, said they are unable to treat the disease.

“We lost ten innocent children. The main way to treat the thalassemia patients ... is impossible in Afghanistan,” he said.

According to him, previously patients suffering from the disease were taken to Germany and Iran.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to have less hemoglobin than normal.

Some of the patients struggling from the disease are brought into the provincial hospital of Abu Ali Sina Balkhi.

“I wish I would have been healthy, so I could serve the society like everyone else. I call on the Ministry of Public Health to consider our situation,” said Oranos, a patient.

Zalmai has brought his daughter to the hospital for treatment.

Salaha, 12, has suffered from thalassemia for around 12 years.

“Two years ago she went through treatment. It needed at least one injection of blood each week. It is now needed to be done one time in 25-30 days. There are a lot of problems,” said Zalmai, Saleh’s father.

The provincial health department said it recorded 230 patients suffering from thalassemia.