BHUBANESWAR: People suffering from haemophilia and other blood disorders can now get all facilities - from health check up to diagnosis and drugs to factor therapy under one roof at the Hematology department of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
“Screening, blood testing and treatment facilities will be available at the daycare centre of the Hematology department soon. The medical college authorities have agreed to the proposal and assured to ensure holistic day care services to the hemophilia and blood related patients at one place,” said secretary of Odisha Hematology Prof Rabindra Kumar Jena.
Speaking at an event organised to mark World Hemophilia Day, Prof Jena said factor therapy plays a vital role in the treatment of haemophilia. A new injection - Emicizumab has been introduced and is now available for haemophilia patients free of cost, he said.
Haemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. It occurs in one out of 5000 men, who account for 80 per cent of haemophilia cases.
As per the estimated incidence of hemophilia, Odisha may have more than 4,000 cases, but so far only 600 cases have been diagnosed in the state of which 280 cases alone have been detected at SCB MCH. Screening and testing must be intensified to ensure that no case is undetected, said Prof Jena.
People with haemophilia have low levels of either factor-8 or factor-9. The severity of haemophilia is determined by the amount of factors in the blood. The lower the amount of the factor, the more likely it is that bleeding will occur which can lead to serious health problems, said the president of Odisha Hematology Prof Niranjan Tripathy.
There are three types of haemophila and haemophila A and B are most common. It is caused by alterations or mutations in the F8 or F9 gene respectively on X- chromosomes.
The severity of haemophilia in affected individuals can vary, depending on the specific mutation and the level of clotting factor present in their blood. Associate professor and head of Hematology department of SB MCH Dr Sudha Sethy highlighted incidence, importance and different measures concerning various blood diseases like sickle cell and thalassemia. “Now medicines, diagnostic and other facilities are provided free by the state government. The facilities need to be utilised optimally for the benefit of the patients,” she said. SCB Medical superintendent Dr Sudhnashu Sekhar Mishra also spoke in the event.