Some children with hemophilia are left bedridden following a three-month delay in the delivery of blood components responsible for the clotting of blood.
According to parents of children with the condition, the Food and Drugs Authority has delayed in releasing documents to facilitate the importation of the donor-sponsored medication.
Some of the distressed mothers say further delay in delivery of the medication could lead to deaths among children living with the condition.
Distraught mother, Sandra Opoku says, “What is making us very worried is that, if you go to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a lot of our children are in pain after sustaining injuries. Some of them are unable to walk. Some children will have to undergo surgery but because the clotting concentrate is not available, they can't undergo the surgery”.
“For about three months, we don't have the medication. It is hard watch on as the bleed”, she added.
Hemophilia is a rare disorder in which blood does not clot in the typical way, as a patient could bleed for a longer time after an injury.
Mothers of children living with hemophilia count it a blessing when their wards make it through the day unhurt, especially in the absence of the blood components responsible for the clotting of blood.
Six years ago, Sandra Opoku’s newly born baby died after circumcision due to failure of the blood to clot.
Presently, her toddler has a similar condition but has continued to live due to the medical support received.
But as the shortage of concentrates linger, Sandra lives in constant fear.
"I don’t know what to do now. I harbor a lot of fear, anything is possible," she said.
Though the hemlibra which is one of the medications for the condition is available, the Factor VIII and IX concentrates remain crucial. These are slowly dripped or injected into a vein of a patient to improve blood clots when injured.
According to the Ghana Hemophilia Society, some children bleed profusely after being injured due to absence of the essential medications.
The concerned mothers are blaming the FDA’s delayed release of a document to access the medication from donors.
Irene Osei is a concerned member explains, “We don’t have some at the market to buy. All we do is to take authorization from the FDA so we can get the donor agency to bring them to us but we haven’t been able to secure one yet”.
They are calling for an intervention of stakeholders to halt possible deaths that may result from the situation.
Latest Stories
-
More-Women donates start-up equipment to Manyoro community
22 mins -
NCCE to embark on indefinite strike on September 18
39 mins -
NPP ‘fiercely’ opposes actions that compromise EC’s independence – Henry Nana Boakye
40 mins -
Political actors must prioritize issues of women and children in electioneering – ICGC PVV
55 mins -
Empowering change: Political commitments to Ghana’s Affirmative Action
58 mins -
Akufo-Addo sacks NSA Director General following CAF’s withdrawal of Baba Yara license
1 hour -
FWSC urges NCCE staff to stay planned strike action in favour of negotiation
1 hour -
The Story of Your Name: an Emotional Justice project
1 hour -
Uefa Champions League returns to Hitz FM and Joy FM
1 hour -
I’ll introduce community mining scheme to eradicate galamsey – Bawumia
1 hour -
Galamsey: Meeting between TUC and gov’t Ad-hoc committee ends inconclusively
1 hour -
BoG pledges to continue to bolster engagements with financial institutions to reduce fraud
1 hour -
Miss Malaika Ghana 2024: The glow-up season top 20 unveiled
1 hour -
Deloitte holds ‘Managing Employee Income Tax & Expatriate Immigration Compliance’ training
1 hour -
CSE report warns decline in groundwater in African countries, urges revival of ancient rainwater harvesting techniques
1 hour