Kochi: The twinning programme between the Haemophilia Treatment Centre (HTC) at District Hospital, Aluva, and the Haemophilia Centre at the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals under the National Health Services is likely to begin in January 2018.
Experts from the UK hospital and the World Federation of Haemophilia, who were here on a three-day visit last week, have in principle agreed to implement the programme. They also met patients and examined the facilities at the centre in detail.
According to Dr. N. Vijayakumar, HTC in-charge, the programme will technically begin in January 2018 and will run for four years, raising the standards of care offered to haemophilia patients. The formal documents are expected to be available by September, he added. Dr. Vijaykumar said HTC had put forward certain proposals for the twinning programme.
It has been proposed that the expansion of the multidisciplinary team at HTC be continued by including training for physiotherapists and physiatrist in hydrotherapy, kinesiological taping, and point of care musculo-skeletal ultrasound scanning of joints.
An expected outcome is improved diagnosis of ‘joint bleeds’.
The other proposals are training pathologists and laboratory technicians and acquiring advanced laboratory reagents for better results. This is to improve the quality of laboratory services.
The suggestions also include exchange of information on laboratory tests, support to genetic diagnosis, especially identification of carriers, and molecular and genetic analysis in children.
Proposals have been made for training doctors from other hospitals in haemophilia care and organising outreach programmes for doctors, exposing HTC staff to world-class haemophilia care at centres abroad and vocational rehabilitation programme for patients.
