Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is raising awareness of hemophilia, a rare bleeding disorder.

HMC is educating patients and their families on the causes of the disorder, its symptoms, and treatment options available.

The Corporation is also encouraging people with a bleeding disorder to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hemophilia is a hereditary bleeding disorder resulting from a partial or total lack of an essential blood clotting factor.

The impact of hemophilia can range from mild, moderate to severe; if untreated, these frequently occurring spontaneous bleeding events can be life-threatening.

Some of the common symptoms of the bleeding disorder include frequent nosebleeds, unexplained and uncontrolled bleeding, and bruising.

There are three main types of hemophilia:

Hemophilia A: this results from a deficiency in clotting factor VIII (8) is the most common form and accounts for around 80 percent of cases. 

Hemophilia B: this is a deficiency in clotting factor IX (9) and is a gender-linked recessive disorder that is more common in males than females. 

Hemophilia C: this is caused by low levels of factor XI (11) and is associated with bleeding but differs from hemophilia A and B in cause and bleeding tendency.

Qatar’s public healthcare providers raise awareness of hemophilia and urge people with bleeding disorders to take the COVID-19 vaccine. pic.twitter.com/q1e3i6VjJ5

— مؤسسة حمد الطبية (@HMC_Qatar) July 4, 2021

Scientific studies indicate that 1 in 5000 males are born with either Hemophilia A or B.

However, the condition affects both males and females from all racial, ethnic backgrounds.

About 30 percent of hemophilia A patients receiving factor VIII treatment may develop inhibitors that stop working.

Chairman, Medical Oncology and Hematology, National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), Dr Ussama Al Homsi, explained, "When a person without hemophilia bleeds, normal blood levels of clotting factor, a protein in the blood, induce the blood to clot and the bleeding to cease. However, people who have hemophilia have low levels of clotting factor in their blood, which causes bleeding to last considerably longer."

In terms of services for the care of hemophilia patients, Dr Al Homsi said, "Our experts focus on diagnosing and treating all types of blood disorders, including hemophilia. We work collaboratively with our colleagues and partners to ensure our patients receive the right care, at the right time, as part of our commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients.”

Pharmacist at HMC, Dr Ahmed Abd Elaziz Bahey Abd Elbari, said, "Our team is dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for people affected by different kinds of bleeding disorders in Qatar.

“Patients with hemophilia need to receive deficient clotting protein intravenously, between one and three times a week, to prevent joint and muscle bleeds. Gene therapy for hemophilia A and B is currently being tested with promising results that have seen the clotting factor levels rise to prevent spontaneous bleedings with only one injection.”

Dr Bahey stressed the significance of having a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet and regular exercise to strengthen the immune system in addition to keeping an adequate supply of clotting factors during travel outside Qatar to prevent and manage emergency bleeding.

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Cover Image Credit and Source: HMC