Novo Nordisk has supported a day long haemophilia patient awareness programme organised by the Haemophilia Day Care Centre (HDCC) of the Delhi Government at Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and Lok Nayak Hospital (LNH).
This is in sync with World Haemophilia Day observed annually on April 17. The patient awareness program-‘Haem Utsav, an e-learning to empower haemophilia care in India’ was held. On the occasion a drawing and painting competition was also conducted for the participants followed by a stage programme.
The awareness camp was attended by around 500 people with haemophilia, their caregivers and families. These programmes are instrumental in creating more awareness about haemophilia management and treatment.
Globally, India is amongst the top ten countries of people living with haemophilia A1 with around 18,000 reported cases. By the age of 25 years, 79% of people with haemophilia are likely to become severely disabled if proper treatment is not provided.
The Denmark based Novo Nordisk which is a global insulin major insulin has also developed drugs to help patients defeat serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity.
In the past, HDCC of Delhi Government has won a global award for introducing yoga sutra in haemophilia, taken up advocacy and capacity building programs, launched skill-based training programmes and a self-infusion program and created self-help groups for haemophilia.
Dr. Kirti Bhushan, Director of Health Services, Government of Delhi inaugurated the awareness programme. Also present at the program were Dr. S. Ramji, Dean, Maulana Azad Medical College, Dr. J.C. Passey MD, Lok Nayak Hospital, and Elen Back, Vice Principal, ABCON, Lok Nayak Hospital and S. Vats, Nursing Superintendent, Lok Nayak Hospital.
The programme commenced with an address by Dr. Naresh Gupta, Central Network Coordinator for Haemophilia Care and Haemophilia Society, Delhi and a release on self- infusion brochure along with a haemophilia card for patients. An updated Haemophilia India website:www.haemophilaindia.com was also launched for e-learning.
Supporting the initiative, Melvin D’souza, managing director, Novo Nordisk India said: “There is a huge cost burden on the families with haemophilia patients. This burden can be significantly reduced if the right treatment is initiated to these patients at the right time.”