KATH gets Automatic Hemostasis Analyzer to boost haemophilia care

The Ghana Haemophilia Society and its Switzerland partner, Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation, have presented a modern heamophilia diagnostic machine to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).  The £54,000 Automatic Hemostasis Analyzer is expected to improve the diagnosis of Haemophilia cases at the hospital. Head of the Haemotology Department at KATH, Dr. David Sackey said the new machine will make work easier and faster with much more accurate results. “Laboratory diagnosis of Haemophilia is very delicate especially using the manual method. This takes a longer time for the result to come out, but with the presence of this modern machine, it will improve management and diagnosis of the disease. We are going to have accurate results,” he noted Programmes Manager at Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation, Shady Sedhom, said their interest is in the accurate treatment for patients. “This machine will help to accurately diagnose patients because without accurate diagnosis, we cannot provide accurate care for hemophilia patients. We believe it is the right of every patient to know what they are suffering from. That is why we decided to present the Automatic Hemostasis Analyzer to KATH to cater for the increasing number of patients.” Haemophilia is a condition which is mostly inherited, and it affects the blood’s ability to clot. This results in patients bleeding longer at the slightest injury. Research has revealed that out of one thousand people, one person suffers from haemophilia. In Ghana, about three thousand people, out of the country’s population, suffer from the condition. The country has only two treatment centres at the Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals to cater for the haemophilia patients. President of Ghana Haemophilia Society, Martin Boakye called on the government to resource at least one hospital in a region to expand access to diagnosis and treatment. He stressed the need to create awareness of the disease and encourage the public to know their status. Meanwhile, the Society has sourced funding from Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation to train healthcare personnel on haemophilia management. Consequent to that, a 4-day training has been held for nurses, doctors, laboratory scientists, and other health workers. By Ibrahim Abubakar| editors.3news.com| Ghana