Kerala - Thrissur   

Call for free treatment for haemophiliacs

Dr.Suresh Hanagavadi.

Thrissur: Suresh Hanagavadi, president of the Haemophilia Federation (India) and professor of pathology with the Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, has urged the Kerala government to provide haemophiliacs free treatment in government medical college hospitals and taluk hospitals.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Puducherry governments were treating haemophiliacs free of cost.

“Assam and Rajasthan too are planning to do so. In a population of 31 million in Kerala, 3,200 to 4,000 people are expected to be haemophiliacs. As many as 2,000 of them have registered with haemophilia chapters. The Kerala government should extend support to haemophiliacs irrespective of their APL-BPL status,” he said.

According to an estimate, one lakh people in the country are haemophiliacs. Of them, 13,000 have registered with haemophilia support groups. About 40 per cent of haemophiliacs are children and 25 per cent of patients are indigent.

“The cost of treatment is prohibitive. Haemophilia is usually managed by injecting the missing clotting factor (Anti-Haemophilic Factor — AHF) into the vein. Of late, it is being made with recombinant DNA technology. This life-saving drug is imported and, hence, expensive. On an average, an adult patient requires 1,500-2,000 units of AHF to treat one bleeding episode. The annual treatment cost for a patient suffering from occasional bleeds may exceed Rs. 1.5 lakh,” Dr. Hanagavadi said.

The social issues surrounding haemophilia should be seriously viewed. “The problems are severe. I am a haemophiliac and I should know,” he says.

BJP leader E. Reghunandanan, an active member of HFI, said that he would donate 25 cents of land in Thrissur district to develop a support centre for haemophiliacs.

“My son was a haemophiliac and I lost him. I know the trauma haemophiliacs and their families go through. I want this centre to offer solace to patients.”

Vikas Goel, national executive committee member, HFI; and others were also present at the press meet.

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