Most of patients with haemophilia in Viet Nam were diagnosed late, leading to heavy bleeding, which causes disability or even death due to minor accidents.— Photo koate-dviusa.com

HCM CITY (VNS) — A haemophilia treatment centre will soon be set up at HCM City’s Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital (BTH), according to its director.

Phù Chí Dũng said this was among the provisions in a memorandum of understanding his hospital signed with Baxalta Singapore Company PTE Ltd on Thursday to improve hemophilia care in southern Việt Nam.

In addition to the main centre to be established in the hospital, the company will help set up satellite treatment units, helping ease the overload at central-level hospitals.

The MoU also mentions standardising criteria for diagnosis and treatment of haemophilia in the southern region.

To improve care for haemophiliacs, the two sides will organise campaigns to seek more conducive policies.

They will help improve the quality and safety of the plasma collection and distribution processes in the south.

From now through 2020 they will carry out communication and health education activities to improve knowledge about haemophilia, especially among high-risk population groups.

According to BTH, Vietnamese have low awareness of the disease, with only 22 per cent of patients diagnosed and 20 per cent getting treatment and follow-up. Most of these patients were diagnosed late, leading to heavy bleeding, which causes disability or even death due to minor accidents. 

Haemophilia causes a victim’s blood not to congeal due to the lack of necessary clotting factors. Globally, the number of surviving haemophiliacs and their longevity considerably depend on economic conditions and healthcare.

If untreated, haemophiliacs will suffer from recurrent bleeding leading to disability or even early death.

In Việt Nam, more and more people are being found to have haemophilia, while systems and resources to diagnose, care, treat and support patients and their families are limited. — VNS