Strategic plan focuses the WFH mission
The WFH has changed a lot in the 43 years since founder Frank Schnabel started working from his dining-room table to improve global hemophilia treatment and care.
During that time, we have evolved into a professional, international, not-for profit organization that has saved thousands of lives and improved tens of thousands more.
That evolution continues, as conditions change and demands for WFH services keep increasing.
In response, the WFH executive, staff, and volunteers have defined a new strategic plan which maps out where the organization is going and what it can do for our members in the coming years.
The plan embraces the vision of "Treatment for All". That is, one day, treatment will be available for all those with inherited bleeding disorders, regardless of where they live.
Our mission is to improve care where it is limited or does not exist. At the same time we must sustain the many gains we have achieved thus far. The challenge is immense. Making our vision a reality will require us to be focused and deliberate about the programs we undertake and the commitments we make.
The new strategic plan has four cornerstones:
Improving standards of treatment
Monitoring, advocacy, and research to improve treatment
Teaching, training, education, and information
Resource management
Most importantly, we will focus on improving treatment in developing and emerging counties. Whether through an individual country program or the Global Alliance for Progress (GAP), we will build coalitions of patients, health care providers, and governments to achieve sustainable care.
We recognize the health care environment in established countries is also very competitive and that there are many demands on public health funding. Where care is already well established, we will ensure continued development of treatment.
Treatment for all involves expanding our services beyond hemophilia. From now on, we will include those with von Willebrand disease, women with bleeding disorders, and people with rare factor deficiencies, which are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. There is a tremendous unmet need among these patient populations. By reaching out to them, we will strengthen our numbers and broaden our support.
Treatment for all also means safe, effective treatment products are available for all people with inherited bleeding disorders. The WFH will continue to work with governments, regulators, and industry to improve both the quality and supply of treatment products.
We share the hope that one day there will be a cure for bleeding disorders. To that end, we will promote research into improved treatment, product development, and ultimately a cure.
Treatment for all means proper diagnosis, management, and care by a multidisciplinary team of trained specialists. Along with our Medical Advisory Board we will incorporate multi-disciplinary approaches into our future action planning as we seek to build comprehensive care networks.
Through the World Congress, workshops, publications, twinning, and fellowship programs, the WFH will maintain its leadership in information sharing, training, and education. Our new website is increasing our educational and training programs as we reach more regions and program areas.
These goals will require us to expand and diversify our financial resources. Our successes have already increased demand for WFH services, resulting in great expansion of our programs.
To sustain and develop these gains, we will boost our fundraising efforts and offer new opportunities for others to work with us as partners.
The prospects are exciting, the challenges are many, but the vision is clear. It will unite us to achieve Treatment for all.
Mark Skinner
WFH President
Last updated October 2006 |
