Gujarat launches magazine on hemophilia to spread awareness

On the occasion of World Haemophilia Day, Gujarat assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi launched 'Haemophilia Jagruti, a magazine to spread awareness about haemophilia, an inherited bleeding disorder, an official said on Wednesday.

World Haemophilia Day was observed on April 17.

The tri-monthly magazine aims to share knowledge and the research being done on the subject. Hemophilia affects over 6,000 people in the state.

Across the country, there are over 16,000 registered patients of hemophilia, a hereditary and genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting.

Even after a minor injury or cut, the patients' blood does not clot normally due to the absence of clotting proteins called Anti Hemophilia Factors.

Experts believe the registered figures are only about 15 per cent of the total affected persons in the country.

The founder chairperson of the Hemophilia Education and Information Trust (HET), Pravinsinh Mori said: "There are about six thousand registered hemophiliac patients in the state. But the number may be more."

"That's why we want to spread awareness about this disorder. The tri-monthly magazine would serve the purpose of spreading awareness and bringing people's focus to this disorder," Mori said.

Mori further said: "The magazine will not only share the knowledge and strengthen the affected community but also give a better understanding of the suffering of the affected people so that the society can come forward and help in the initiative of the trust.

"HET is also running a drive for a proposal for setting up of a haemophilia treatment ward also in each hospitals of the state."

--IANS

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