Patients, experts task govt on bleeding disorder treatment

Patients suffering from haemophilia and medical experts have called on government at all levels to support diagnosis and treatment for the disease. They made the call Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of the World Haemophilia Day organized by the Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria (HFN), North- Central Chapter, in collaboration with the National Hospital, Abuja. […]

Patients suffering from haemophilia and medical experts have called on government at all levels to support diagnosis and treatment for the disease.

They made the call Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of the World Haemophilia Day organized by the Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria (HFN), North- Central Chapter, in collaboration with the National Hospital, Abuja.

Haemophilia is a rare inherited medical condition in which the ability of the blood to clot is severely reduced, causing the sufferer to bleed severely from even a slight injury.

Dr Uju Patrick, coordinator of the HFN, North Central Chapter, said haemophilia treatment is very expensive and beyond the reach of most patients in the country.

Patrick who is also a patient and medical practitioner said a dose costs over a million naira , and that only HFN with support of the World Haemophilia Foundation supports sufferers treatment in Nigeria.

He said majority of haemophilia cases in Nigeria are undiagnosed because of low awareness, and dearth of treatment facilities , adding that many lives have been lost as a result.

According to him, only 1, 000 cases of hemophilia are registered with the foundation in Nigeria.

He also lamented that patients face challenges with delayed access to donated drugs due to procedural hurdles from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), sometimes leading to expiration.

Dr Udo Christiana, a consultant haematologist and director North Central Haemophilia Treatment centre , at the National Hospital , Abuja, said while the disease is common in men, women and girls also suffer from it .

While saying there is need for equitable access to care for women and girls, she said there are about 100 hemophilia patients registered at the centre.

The Director clinical services, National Hospital Abuja, Abba Badamosi applauded survivors of the disease and health workers managing them.

He pledged the hospital’s continuous support for the treatment centre at the facility.

A haemophilia sufferer, David Edembe, 16, said government should support parents and caregivers providing care for Haemophiliacs saying it is not easy living with the condition.