Palestinian children with hemophilia are facing serious complications due to the ongoing shortage of their medicine in the health facilities.
According to the Consultant of Hematology at Rantisi Hospital for pediatric Dr. Salah Abu Shanab, Hemophilia is a type of genetic mutation or change, in one of the genes, that provides instructions for making the clotting factor proteins needed to form a blood clot (coagulation).
Dr. Shanab said that more than 125 patients are living with hemophilia in the Gaza Strip, it comes in two forms; hemophilia (A) (traditional): factor VIII deficiency, it is the most common type which comprises 104 cases, and Hemophilia (B): caused due to the lack of clotting Factor IX deficiency, comprises of 21 cases.
Some patients need therapeutic doses only when bleeding occurs or to prevent bleeding in certain events, and others may need preventive doses that may continue for life, like a drug called Kapron. The objectives of treatment are to stop the hemarthroses and to avoid secondary synovitis. Treatment is expensive and should be taken in regular basis, patients should be able to obtain it in public health facilities.