Chennai: Haemophilia is an inherited genetic disorder which causes severe bleeding in patients due to lack of blood-clotting proteins called ‘clotting factors’.
It causes repeated spontaneous bleeds, mostly in the joints, leading to disability and sometimes even untimely death. This year on World Haemophilia Day (17 April), experts highlight the need for awareness, early diagnosis, right treatment with recombinant therapy and importance of prophylaxis for effective management of the disease.
Haemophilia A is the most common haemophilia type caused by deficit of a protein called factor VIII.
Haemophilia B which is less common, is caused by insufficient levels of a blood protein called factor IX.
With 19690 registered haemophilia A cases and 3150 of haemophilia B, India has the highest number of haemophilia patients in the world even though we have identified only 20 per cent of the estimated number of haemophilia patient.
Haemophilia management has undergone a paradigm shift in the recent years in the country. The governments (both Central and State) have started providing clotting factor concentrates for all PWH and many dedicated haemophilia treatment centres have been established.
Commenting about the treatment options, Dr Raveendran from Government Salem Medical College Hospital said, “Starting early Prophylaxis treatment will reduce the comorbidity in the children. The science of treating haemophilia has advanced a lot and we see newer advancements quite frequently. Earlier, treatment depended on blood and blood derived products exposing the patients to of the risk of blood borne infections. However, third generation recombinant DNA technology led a revolution that has reduced the risk to an almost non-existent levels.”
He said that though better treatments available for haemophilia, but awareness remain low in India.