Fortis to host haemophilia screening campaign in Mauritius

Fortis Clinique Darné will once again host a national haemophilia screening campaign for the second consecutive year, lending its support to the Haemophilia Patients and Parents Support Group (HePPS_G).

The screening will be held on April 17 at the seat of the clinic in Floréal.

To celebrate World Haemophilia Day, the HePPS_G, a non-governmental organisation that works on a national scale, is organising a national screening for its patients.

On that day, blood will be collected to establish a national haemophilia registry in a bid to gather information and keep records in Mauritius.

The registry will provide basic information on haemophilia and other blood disorders that burden the country and will pave the way for improving healthcare delivery to haemophilia patients by recognising their immediate needs.

Based on the number of patients and their profile, treatment protocols and requirements for on demand action will be established.

Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body’s ability to control blood clotting or coagulation a phenomenon that stops bleeding when a blood vessel breaks.

“Haemophilia is a disorder caused by an error in a person’s genetic code. This error means that some of the factors are missing or that they are not working correctly in a person with haemophilia,” said a doctor from Jeetoo hospital, who preferred to remain anonymous.

He added that this causes people to bleed longer but not faster. According to him, surface bleeds, on the outside of the body, are fairly easy to stop, even for people with haemophilia.

“As a carrier of haemophilia, a woman is at risk of having children who have haemophilia or who are carriers. Haemophilia is a life-long disorder.

Without treatment or with delay in treatment, people with haemophilia suffer tremendous pain, swelling, joint damage and possible joint destruction from bleeds,” he said.

People born with haemophilia can lead relatively normal lives if they have access to proper treatment. This constitutes one of the biggest challenges for the majority of people suffering from haemophilia throughout the world. Only 25 per cent of those living with haemophilia are receiving adequate care.

In Mauritius, there are presently 75 people diagnosed with haemophilia and there are six known cases of people suffering from other bleeding disorders.