KUWAIT, April 16 (KUNA) -- Kuwait will be joining the rest of the world, for first time, in celebrating the World Hemophilia Day, which falls on April 17 and will be held this year under the slogan 'The Many Faces of Bleeding Disorders: United to Achieve Treatment for All'.
"Kuwait Hemophilia Society has been working with specialists interested in this blood disorder to place a national hemophilia management protocol. This protocol has gained the support of Health Minister Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer and will be signed in the coming few weeks," said Dr. Ahmad Al-Qallaf, the society's general coordinator.
Dr. Al-Qallaf, a specialist in internal medicine and one of the founders of the society (under establishment), said that this would be the first national protocol to be issued for the management of any disease in Kuwait by ministerial order.
"Over the past four years, we have been working to bring together specialists and patients in order raise awareness about hemophilia," he explained.
Listing the society's achievements so far, he said it was compiling a patient data registry from the lists available at the different hospitals, seeking to ensure accurate diagnosis of this rare blood condition, and had successfully formed a multi-disciplinary team grouping health professionals - hematologists, orthopedics, physiotherapists, nurses and doctors - interested in working with hemophiliacs.
Dr. Al-Qallaf said that the "greatest" achievement of the society was placing the national protocol of the management of hemophilia, which would provide guidelines for doctors on the diagnosis, management and treatment of this condition.
He explained that the protocol was derived from international hemophilia protocols and had been discussed with the multi-disciplinary group and other specialists to garner their support for the document.
"The overall aim of the society is to generate greater awareness about hematology, and we are happy to be celebrating the World Hemophilia Day for the first time in Kuwait. It will be an even greater celebration to sign the national protocol in the next few weeks," he said.
Apart from Dr. Al-Qallaf, Kuwait Hemophilia Society's core founders include Dr. Faisal Al-Sayegh, Dr. Rana Al-Abdulrazzaq, Dr. Sheikha Al-Muhareb, Hadeel Malallah, as well as two hemophiliacs; Ali and Abdullah Al-Thubairi.
Hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and the factor deficiencies are lifelong bleeding disorders that prevent blood from clotting properly. People with bleeding disorders do not have enough of a particular clotting factor, a protein in the blood that controls bleeding, or it does not work properly.
People with hemophilia can experience uncontrolled internal bleeding that can result from a seemingly minor injury. Bleeding into joints and muscles causes severe pain and disability. Bleeding into major organs, such as the brain, can cause death.
Kuwait Hemophilia Society is working closely with the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to raise awareness on this hereditary blood condition. The WFH is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with hemophilia and related bleeding disorders. Established in 1963, it is a global network of patient organizations in 113 countries and has official recognition from the World Health Organization. - Kuna