By Jeff kizzilah and Nicolas Manduku
Patients with blood disorders will be supported to get rapid access to care thanks to the recently launched Accelerating Access to Blood Disorders Care in Kenya and Tanzania Project.
The 3-year joint project is a joint collaboration of Kenya Haemophilia Association (KHA), Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation (NNHF), Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) and Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.
” It will focus on supporting rapid access to care for people with haemophilia and will also benefit people with sickle cell disease”, Dr. Stella wazaula, Project Coordinator and Head of Haemotology at Muhimbili National Hospital Tanzania.
Haemophilia and sickle cell disease are two haematological disorders that are overly inherited and afflict a large population of Kenyans with devastating outcomes. Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder that has severe complications if unattended and inappropriately managed. It can lead to mortality due to uncontrolled bleeding.
Speaking during the 2nd Accelerating access to Blood Disorder Care in Kenya and Tanzania,De. Stella Rwezaula ,who is the Project Coordinator says that majority of the patients are male due to the nature of inheritance, with a prevalence of 1:10,000 in a population, Kenya should be having 5,000 patients but has only diagnosed 14% of the population. This disease is evenly distributed and all communities are equally affected.
De Stella says it’s therefore, envisaged that this program, in collaboration with the various stakeholders, will aid in boosting care for Kenyans as well as Tanzanians under an environment of shared learning. The objectives of this program will drastically promote attainment of universal healthcare for patients with bleeding disorders as well as those living with sickle cell disease.
She added that Patient care is mainly through infusion of factor concentrates replacement of clotting factors.