“Today is World Haemophilia Day.” I heard the announcement on the loud radio playing in the trotro I boarded on my way to work.
That single announcement shifted my thoughts from the meetings lined up at the office to someone I hadn’t thought about in a while—my childhood friend and brother, Akwasi.
Akwasi was my aunt’s only son. Sadly, she passed away shortly after giving birth to him, so my mother took him in. He became a part of our family, and to me, he was more than a cousin. He was my brother. We grew up together and played together even though I was a year and a half older. We climbed mango trees, played hide and seek, and always had each other’s backs, especially when our mother was in a disciplinary mood. We were inseparable.
But things changed when Akwasi turned five.
One afternoon, while playing hide and seek, he tripped and scraped his elbow. It looked like a minor injury, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop, even after hours. My mother panicked. She rushed him to the nearby clinic, but the nurse said they couldn’t handle the case. We were referred to a hospital several towns away. After many tests, the doctor returned to inform us of the diagnosis: haemophilia. That was my first time hearing the word.
Since then, a lot changed. Mother took Akwasi to the hospital often; they kept warning him every moment and monitoring his every move. Thankfully, he survived. At age 17, he travelled abroad with his paternal uncle to continue life with better care.
What is haemophilia?
Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder in which blood doesn’t clot properly. As a result, even minor injuries can lead to prolonged bleeding. In some cases, bleeding happens spontaneously without any visible cause. It’s often inherited from one or both parents.
When you bleed, your body uses clotting factors, which are special proteins in the blood, and platelets to form clots and stop the bleeding. Haemophilia occurs when one or more of these clotting factors are missing or reduced. The two most common types are:
- Hemophilia A – caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII
- Hemophilia B – caused by a deficiency of clotting factor IX
Haemophilia mainly affects males, especially those with a family history of the disorder.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Excessive bleeding from cuts or injuries
- Frequent nosebleeds without clear cause
- Easy bruising
- Spontaneous bleeding into joints and muscles
- Swelling, pain, and stiffness in joints
- Blood in urine or stool
- Prolonged bleeding after vaccinations or surgeries
Management:
Haemophilia is not a death sentence. Early diagnosis and proper care can greatly improve quality of life. Treatment typically involves replacement therapy where the patient is given the missing clotting factors through injections.
People with haemophilia should take extra caution during physical activities and avoid injuries where possible. But with the right support and medical care, they can live long, healthy lives
Written by Eugenia Elikem Lawoe, Medical Student University of Cape Coast (Level 600)
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