World Haemophilia Day: Ministry working to sensitise more women about disease

As the global community gears up to celebrate World Haemophilia Day on April 17, stakeholders at the Ministry of Health have recognised the importance of this year’s theme.
The World Haemophilia Day 2025 theme, “Women and girls bleed too”, focuses on raising awareness about the under diagnosis and under-treatment of women and girls with bleeding disorders. The goal is to advocate for equal access to care and support for all individuals with bleeding disorders, regardless of their gender or location.
In recognition of World Haemophilia Day, 2025 the Guyana Haemophilia Society on Sunday hosted an awareness walk. Addressing the gathering at the end of the event was Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony who reaffirmed the Government of Guyana’s commitment to improving care, access, and awareness for individuals living with haemophilia and other rare blood disorders.
While haemophilia commonly affects males, the Minister emphasised the importance of educating women, who are often carriers and can experience symptoms such as prolonged bleeding.
“We must implement educational programmes to help women recognise when symptoms are abnormal and encourage early medical consultation,” he stated.
The Minister highlighted several major infrastructure developments aimed at transforming the country’s healthcare system. Six new hospitals across the country are slated for completion by the end of the year each equipped with internal medicine departments, blood banks, and laboratory facilities.
“This expansion ensures that citizens no longer need to travel to Georgetown to access specialised care…Access to quality healthcare will now be more evenly distributed across the country In addition, a state-of-the-art 256-bed Maternal and Paediatric Hospital currently under construction at Ogle will host a range of subspecialties including haematology, enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention for rare diseases like haemophilia.”
Addressing recent advancements in medical treatment, the Minister referenced cutting-edge therapies including monoclonal antibodies and gene therapy, some of which were approved internationally as recently as 2024.
He acknowledged that while these treatments are currently expensive, prices are expected to fall as accessibility improves. Guyana has already passed legislation to support innovative medical research and therapies, inviting pharmaceutical companies and research institutions to explore collaboration opportunities within the country.
“We have received expressions of interest, and we’re optimistic that Guyana will become a hub for research and possibly manufacturing of advanced therapies.”
Commending the efforts of local advocates, Dr Anthony emphasised the importance of community engagement in raising awareness. Moreover, he also encouraged patients and families to share their personal stories to help others identify potential symptoms early the Minister concluded by reaffirming his commitment to continued progress.
“We have come a long way, and I truly believe the future holds even greater promise for those living with haemophilia in Guyana”.
WHAT IS HAEMOPHILIA?
Haemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. This can lead to spontaneous bleeding or bleeding following an injury or surgery. Blood contains many proteins called clotting factors, that can help to stop bleeding. People with haemophilia –haemophiliacs—have low levels of either factor V111 (8) or factor 1X (9). The severity of haemophilia that a person has is determined by the amount of a factor in the blood: the lower the amount of the factor, the more likely it is that bleeding will occur, which can lead to serious health problems. Additionally, the bleeding can be fatal if it occurs within a vital organ, such as the brain.
In rare cases, a person can develop haemophilia later in life. The majority of cases involve middle-aged or elderly people; or young women who have recently given birth or are in the later stages of pregnancy. This condition is often resolved with appropriate treatment.