A total of 97 patients at the Government Royapettah Hospital were screened for haemophilia on Wednesday, as part of World Haemophilia Day.
Haemophilia is a genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to clot and thus prevent excessive bleeding.
The hospital, which has the largest number of registered haemophiliac patients among government hospitals in the city, has been offering free treatment for the condition since 2011, and is now looking at acquiring a ‘centre of excellence’ status.
GRH has also tied up with a pharmaceutical company to ensure that its patients receive continuous screenings and treatment at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh.
“This treatment is free for patients. It is also not being charged to the government, as the company is bearing the costs. This is a continuous process. The patients need follow-up procedures every two years to assess if they have developed resistance to the drugs,” said hospital director N. Gunasekaran.
On Wednesday, patients were given an entire gamut of screening tests at a cost of Rs. 10,000 per patient.
At present the hospital has 14 children aged less than 12 years receiving treatment.
