by Sarmad Dev
SRINAGAR: Dozens of Kashmir patients suffering from Haemophilia are getting no proper treatment from the only Haemophilia Centre at SMHS hospital in Srinagar. The patients are losing their limbs and afraid of their lives with little to no hope for a change.
Haemophilia is an extremely rare genetic condition that reduces the number of proteins in the body responsible for blood clotting, thus, resulting in continuous bleeding, severe health problems and even death. With lesser than one million cases in India alone, this disease is extremely deadly and cannot be cured completely, however treatable to a certain point.
A 50-year-old man who decided to remain anonymous told Kashmir Life that he is the only person earning in the family, that he had been healthy all his life and this disease struck him out of nowhere and since then it has rendered him useless and the cost of treatment is too much for him to handle.
Dr Majid Qadri, Director of the Haemophilia Society in Kashmir said, “We have approximately 357 people in the valley suffering from this deadly disease, mostly women and since the last two years we have been insisting the Government to give the medicine called Prophylaxis (which helps in the bleeding prevention) to GMC instead of various medical corporations for a faster availability of the medicine but to no avail and in the process people are losing their lives and limbs.”
With so many hopeless patients in Kashmir waiting for a cure, the officials and doctors are still waiting for proper funding and NOC from the Government, therefore neglecting the treatment.
“For the past 3 months, through GMC, we have been asking various medical corporations for medicines continuously but all we’re getting are excuses and neglect,” he said, adding that “in desperation to help with the patient’s pain and bleeding, we perform fresh frozen plasma therapy which is extremely dangerous and can cause severe joint pains along with Hepatitis. While NHM is helping us, the medical corporations aren’t, so it’s not enough.”
Prophylaxis is used for patients to stop bleeding, one vial costs Rs 4000 and a patient may require many vials for it throughout the day depending upon the weight and the severity of the problem and they are in dire shortage of it.
“We appeal the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor to give the license of these medicines to GMC instead of these corporations outside in order to be available anytime to battle this disease,” Dr Majid requested.
Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital Dr Kanwaljeet Singh said, “We have already sent an application to the Government to get the NOC and we are waiting for the approval, we cannot do anything without the order given by the corporations.”
