Cebu observes 'Haemophilia Day'

CEBU, Philippines - For the first time, Cebu celebrated the “Haemophilia Day” to raise more awareness on the disease.

With the theme “Awareness for treatment and care of hemophilia” the activity was spearheaded by the Haemophilia Association of the Philippines, Inc.-Cebu (HAPI-C) at the Regional House of the Perpetual Succour Hospital.

HAPI-C is a lay support group for the people with hemophilia (PWH). It is aimed to reach out the PWH by helping them through proper information, treatment and education.

The organization was given a hemophilia center by the Sisters of the Perpetual Succour Hospital. The center is located at the said hospital and it is the first hemophilia center in the province. The center serves as the support center for HAPI-C members and other persons with hemophilia.

According to Mary Ann Navasquez a HAPI-C volunteer, this is the first time the organization celebrates hemophilia day.

Hemophilia is a life-long bleeding disorder of the blood clotting mechanism. It is the deficiency of a particular clotting factor resulting in the excessive bleeding from injury or without obvious reason at all.

Navasquez said the event was attended by hemophiliacs coming from Cebu specially PWH in Carcar, Danao, Tuburan and hemophiliacs from Leyte and Bohol.

Moreover, the event aimed to locate more hemophilia patients to assist them in knowing their disease for them to be given proper treatment.

She cited that in the Philippines, there are about 8,000 hemophilia patients but only 1,000 of them were located by HAPI-C.

Meanwhile, Bobby Chua, member of HAPI-C and a resident of Guadalupe, Cebu City, who is also suffering from the said disease said the event was an awareness campaign not only to the hemophiliacs but also to the parents so that they may know how to handle the situation when a family member suffers from the same medical condition.

Navasquez hopes that this would be a start of a yearly celebration of hemophilia day. Two years ago, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared the month of April as a hemophilia month and April 17 as the Haemophilia Day. — (FREEMAN)