Though the year-old Haemophilia Treatment Centre at the District Hospital, Aluva, is a major relief for the patients with the genetic blood disorder, it still lacks infrastructural facilities.
The HTC at Aluva is one of a kind in the State and has 416 registered patients. On an average, HTC has 12-15 in-patients daily and nearly 200 physiotherapy sessions a month. Patients are screened for HIV, HCV and HBV every six months. The Centre has also detected four new haemophilia cases that were reconfirmed at CMC, Vellore. Comprehensive Clinics are conducted on Saturday.
It has a state-of-the-art laboratory and physiotherapy centre that provide access to multidisciplinary health care professionals like haematologists, orthopaedists, physical therapists, dental surgeons, physicians, paediatricians, counsellors, social workers and mental health professionals.
However, the centre does not have an elevator which poses a problem for disabled patients.
A ward has not yet been identified for haemophiliacs and most members of the staff are on ad-hoc basis with no specific nursing staff deputed to the centre. On World Haemophilia Day on Friday (April 17), the centre is conducting camps and awareness programmes to mark the day.
Comprehensive haemophilia treatment centres emphasise on preventive tools to help reduce or eliminate complications.
These services include using preventive medicine and connecting patients with community groups that provide education and support to families.
Haemophilia was an orphaned disease in the State till the HTC was set up last year. Patients were earlier left to take care of themselves through self-help groups organised as chapters of Haemophilia Federation of India (HFI).
However, the resource constraint faced by them limited the service and 70 per cent of patients became crippled by 17 years of age. HTC was the initiative of the Ernakulam District Panchayath and National Health Mission.
The HTC at Aluva got recognition at national level when it hosted the National Haemophilia Conclave organised by Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi and Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, a meeting that was never held outside Delhi earlier.
