By Longtong Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria (HFN) will over the next five years receive drugs (Factor VIII and IX) donation from the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) worth $11 million annually for the treatment of persons with bleeding disorder in the country.
The Logistics officer of WFH, Geoge Abargidies announced this when he led a team of inspectors to Nigeria, to inspect storage facilities where the drugs would be stored.
Abargidies explained that Nigeria would soon start receiving the donation having met the needed requirement, adding that the donation was made in order to improve the quality of life of patients living with the disorder.
He pointed out that, the essence of the visit was to inspect the facilities to see if the drugs would be well stored, secured and its quality not compromised, noting that Nigeria has met all the conditions.
“We have been sending donations, but this is the first time we would be sending this much, coming from a pharmaceutical company in the United States and the donation would be made to over 50 countries based on needs and government willingness to support it.”
Abargidies however added that the project is a five year project, which could be extended to 10 years, provided government shows commitment by assisting the hemophilia society.
Executive Director, Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria, Megan Adediran expressed joy that Nigeria has met the requirements to receive such a large quantity of the needed drugs, adding that it would go a long way in alleviating the challenge faced by haemophiliacs.
She expressed appreciation to Kaduna State Primary HealthCare Agency for donating their cold chain for storing the drugs.
Haemophillia is an inherited bleeding disorder where a person lacks the ability to form a clot after an injury, be it internal or external. The person keeps bleeding until they are infused with factor, or blood containing the missing factor.
Haemophilia is generally passed on to a child through a mother’s X gene. It could however be caused (in few cases) by a mutation in the person’s own gene.
About 1 in 10,000 persons are born with haemophilia and such people do not bleed faster than others, but longer, saying that they lack clotting factors (certain protein component) in the blood that helps control bleeding.
