World Hemophilia Day is a global healthcare event, every year celebrated on the 17th of April, started by the World Federation of Haemophilia (WHF). The aim of this day is to raise a call for the government authorities and local policymakers for the provision of a better treatment and care in addition to promote better control and prevention with haemophilia.
Haemophilia is an inherited genetic disorder that weakens the ability of the body to clot blood. The deficiency of a clotting protein in the blood leads to haemophilia. The disorder causes spontaneous bleeding in the body, causing blood to pool in various parts of the body. According to Hemophilia.org, 75 percent of those with the disorder do not recieve adequate medical treatment. Over 400,000 people are afflicted around the world. Every year April 17 is celebrated as World Hemophilia Day to increase awareness about haemophilia and other bleeding disorders. The theme of World Hemophilia Day 2019 is “Reaching Out: The First Step to Care." Let's learn more about the history and significance of World Hemophilia Day.
Haemophilia is a rare, severe genetic hemorrhagic illness that results from a malfunction of the proteins factor VIII and factor IX, which are necessary for blood clotting and coagulation and cause abnormal blood coagulation. Haemophilia can affect persons of any colour or ethnicity, but because it is linked to the X chromosome, men are more likely to be affected than women. A boy's chance of developing haemophilia is 50% higher if his mother has the condition, and that risk is equally 50% higher for her daughter. Therefore, even while haemophilia can affect females and cause problems during menstruation and childbirth, it is more common in males.
Theme for World Haemophilia Day in 2023: The theme for World Haemophilia Day 2023 is "Access for All: Prevention of Bleeds as the Global Standard of Care," which is an appeal to local government officials and healthcare policymakers to emphasise the prevention, protection, and accessibility of effective treatment care for all haemophiliacs. In order to show support for the occasion, the World Federation of Haemophilia has asked well-known sites all around the world to glow red in honour of World Haemophilia Day.
Importance of World Haemophilia Day: Only 25% of those affected had access to proper therapy in 2000, despite the fact that it was estimated that 4 lakh people, or around 1 in 10,000 live births, were affected by this illness globally. But as of 2019, a meta-analysis revealed that there are 11.25 lakh more men in India who suffer from the genetic bleeding disorder.
Only 15% of the world's population has access to adequate haemophilia therapy, not even in high-income countries. In low- and middle-income nations, high mortality and morbidity rates are caused by a lack of resources for diagnosis and treatment.
World Haemophilia Day events this year are aimed at enticing the public to support government and policymakers for the provision of better treatment, prevention, and control of bleeds in people with bleeding disorders. This year marks World Haemophilia Day's 31st anniversary.
History of World Haemophilia Day: The World Federation of Haemophilia (WFH) initially observed World Haemophilia Day on April 17, 1989, to commemorate the birthdate of Frank Schnabel, the WFH's founder. It wasn't until the 10th century that people began to notice the disproportionately high incidence of male fatalities from seemingly minor mishaps. At the time, this illness was known as abulcasis. However, due to limitations in technology, this could not be treated. At the time, a sickness that plagued royal families was frequently treated with an anticoagulant, but this medication thins the blood and makes the situation worse.
Remembering Tarabai Bhosale on April 14: The regent of the Maratha Empire of India
