By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani (Bono), April 16, GNA – Dr Eunice Ahmed Agyemang, a Haematologist and member of the Haemophilia Society of Ghana, has advocated for a nationwide campaign to tackle inequity in care for bleeding disorders.
There is also the need to create a safe, stigma-free space for women and girls living with haemophilia, bleeding disorders and to share their experiences.
Dr Agyemang in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), to commemorate the 2025 World Haemophilia Day, said the nation ought to do more to tackle the existing gabs in diagnosis and access.
Each year, on April 17, the world unites to raise awareness about haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders and the theme for the 2025 celebration is: “Women and Girls Bleed Too”.
Dr Agyemang said key institutions such as the Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals respectively, with immense support from the World Federation of Haemophilia and the Ghana Haemophilia Society, were making important strides to improve haemophilia care.
Nonetheless, she said critical gaps remained, particularly in access to diagnostics, treatment, and specialised care.
Dr Agyemang noted that addressing those challenges required a collective approach, and called on the government bodies, public health agencies, civil society organizations, and individuals to collaborate to ensure that every person living with a bleeding disorder receives equitable and timely care, regardless of gender, geography, or financial means.
“Let us ensure that no woman or girl living with a bleeding disorder in Ghana is left behind. When we listen to them and provide the care they deserve, we improve outcomes not just for individuals but for families, communities, and our entire country,” she stated.
Dr Agyemang said though bleeding disorders could not be cured, they could be effectively managed, saying treatment might include clotting factor replacement therapy, antifibrinolytic medications, hormone treatments for menstrual symptoms, and supportive care from specialised health professionals.
“Early diagnosis is a key to improving quality of life,” Dr Adwoa Agyemang Adu Gyamfi, a member of the Haemophilia Society of Ghana, aspiring to become a Haematologist also told
the GNA in another interview. She said bleeding disorders included haemophilia ‘A’ and ‘B’ inherited conditions (mostly affecting males) where clotting factors VIII or IX were deficient.
Dr Gyamfi said women and girls could also have symptoms, even if they carried the gene or had low factor levels.
The Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, affecting both men and women, often leading to easy bruising, nosebleeds, and heavy periods, she stated.
Other rare disorders include platelet function disorders and deficiencies of other clotting factors, and mentioned frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums, heavy or prolonged menstruation as some common signs and symptoms.
Some symptoms include unexplained bruises, blood in urine or stools, painful, swollen joints or muscles from internal bleeding as well as excessive bleeding after surgery, dental work, or childbirth.
GNA
DEN/CAA