 |
| David Aremu being treated at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.
Photo: Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria. |
The World Federation of Hemophilia’s (WFH) Humanitarian Aid Program channels donations of life-saving treatment products to people in need throughout the world in support of the WFH’s vision to achieve treatment for all people with bleeding disorders. In 2010, the WFH donated 280,424 international units (IU) of clotting factor concentrate, worth over US$350,000, to the Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria (HFN) for distribution to patients across the country. The factor VIII concentrate benefitted patients in several public and private hospitals, including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the National Hospital in Abuja. The treatment products donated in 2010 moved Nigeria’s consumption rate from 0 IU per capita in 2005 and 0.0003 IU in 2008, to 0.002 IU in 2010. Nigeria remains below the minimum of one IU per capita recommended by both the World Health Organization and the WFH for optimal survival, however significant progress is being made.
Patients who benefitted from the factor donation had different types of bleeds, ranging from minor to major, while others required surgery to correct joint deformities. Some patients who benefitted from the donation include David Aremu, a nine-year-old, whose knees have been seriously damaged due to repeated bleeding episodes. The HFN was able to assist him with treatment products and he was thus able to have surgery at the National Hospital last year. The donations were also able to save the life of three-year-old Oloche Joe Apka, who was brought to the hospital after bleeding from his mouth for six days.
| HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS |
Requests for help
For many developing countries, product donations are often the only source of treatment product for patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. The WFH receives requests, many urgent in nature, from our national member organizations (NMOs) and from recognized hemophilia treatment centres around the world. The WFH also channels treatment product to support our healthcare development programs such as the GAP, Twinning, and country programs.
|
Process
Countries that qualify for donations generally have a per capita use of clotting factor concentrate of less than one IU. In 2010, 60 countries were eligible for WFH product donations. To ensure proper usage, donations are only sent to registered hemophilia treatment centres or to WFH NMOs. With supporting documentation from the WFH, the recipient treatment centre or NMO will work together with their local authorities to obtain the necessary licensing needed to allow the donation to be imported into the country in a timely manner. |
Delivery
Once all of the relevant documents have been prepared, the donation is packaged by dedicated volunteers and sent to the recipient from our volunteer pharmacy in Atlanta, U.S.A. In emergency situations, time is of the essence, and our volunteers work tirelessly to ship the products quickly. |
Since the program was formalized in 1996, the WFH has channelled over 163 million IU of clotting factor concentrate to recipients in need all over the world; in 2010 16,768,758 IU was distributed to 56 countries. Product donations are made possible and sustained through generous commitments from the WFH’s various product manufacturers, treatment centres, and homecare companies. Transporting product donations efficiently and in a timely manner to patients in need is a large undertaking, involving several dedicated partners and volunteers.
The WFH’s Humanitarian Aid Program is not intended to meet the needs of the global hemophilia community in developing countries, rather our goal is to provide access to life-saving treatment product where there is no alternative and building a solid foundation for sustainable hemophilia care in the long run. Product donations show governments the efficacy of clotting factor concentrate compared to other blood products and can lead to their purchasing clotting factor concentrate. This will ultimately ensure that people like David Aremu get the treatment they need.
Humanitarian aid donations in 2010 were provided by Baxter, Bayer, Biotest, CSL Behring, Pfizer, and Talecris.
Hemophilia World, August 2011
What is Humanitarian Aid
Articles:
For more information about WFH humanitarian aid, contact Maria Carolina Arango at marango@wfh.org
Last Updated November 2011 |
