Focus falls on haemophilia

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) aimed to raise awareness about the inherited blood disorder, haemophilia, as the global community observed World Haemophilia Day on April 17 under the theme Equitable access for all: recognising all bleeding disorders.

The department urged parents to become well-informed about this disorder, its symptoms, and available treatment options.

Common symptoms associated with haemophilia in infants and toddlers include excessive bruising lasting for weeks, mouth bleeds, and bleeding into joints, soft tissues, and muscles.

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Haemophilia, an inherited disorder preventing blood from forming a stable clot due to a deficiency in clotting factor, primarily affects men as a recessive sex-linked disorder.

“About 30% of boys with haemophilia may have no family history of the disorder; however, most mothers of these children will have a male blood relative on the maternal side of their family who was born with it,” MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, haemophilia A, the most common type, affects one in 5 000 male births worldwide.

The Annual Global Survey 2022 by the World Federation of Hemophilia reported 2 009 confirmed males with haemophilia A and 395 with haemophilia B in South Africa.

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Nkomo-Ralehoko said early treatment helps to minimises complications and save lives.

The GDoH operates four specialised clinics in tertiary institutions – Charlotte Maxeke, Chris Hani Baragwanath, Steve Biko, and Dr George Mukhari academic hospitals – which provide diagnosis and treatment for haemophilia patients.

“To bridge the gap between diagnosis and treatment, the GDoH provides training to nursing staff in local clinics and regional hospitals to detect symptoms of haemophilia, ensuring timely referrals for effective treatment,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.