A twin-track approach to developing haemophilia care in Uganda

Services for people with haemophilia in Uganda are poor, resulting in a very low number of confirmed diagnoses. Over the past year, the Haemophilia Foundation of Uganda (HFU) has engaged in a concerted and coordinated media campaign focusing on radio, television and social media promoting the message that haemophilia results in painful shortened lives but is a treatable condition if appropriate services are in place. At the end of 2015, this awareness campaign culminated in a patient-screening day, along with a patient information camp. In advance of the patient testing day, a team from London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital ran an educational workshop for staff from Mulago Hospital. The team also attended the testing day, taking clinical histories from those attending, and ran workshop sessions at the patient meeting. The physician-training day attracted obstetricians, paediatricians, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, midwives and pharmacists. Delegates understood that to develop a haemophilia service in Uganda required capacity building, and awareness raising, initially at a central level but gradually moving out to the regions. Physicians in Uganda have now embarked on a journey to providing haemophilia care. The next steps are to build political engagement and to continue raising awareness among the population.