WFH sponsors have allowed the federation to offer a variety of programs in India, notably the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program, the WFH Path to Access to Care and Treatment (PACT) Program, the WFH Twinning Program, and the WFH International External Quality Assessment Scheme (IEQAS). Each of these endeavours touches a different facet of care in the country—from product donations to laboratory testing best practices. Together they are helping to change lives for the better.
During a recent visit to the country, the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program team saw firsthand the benefit of years of WFH-led collaboration between healthcare professionals, organizations, sponsors, and the government. One of the primary successes has been the increasing adoption of prophylactic treatment, which prevents bleeding episodes before they occur. “We saw more than 20 children receiving weekly doses, with no complications [during our visit],” said Assad E. Haffar, MD, WFH Medical & Humanitarian Aid Director. “These kids [experience] practically no complications of hemophilia at all.”
Prophylaxis is a key benefit of WFH Humanitarian Aid Program aid and has been made possible in India thanks to donated treatment product provided by WFH sponsors. Cecil Ross, MD, Vice President, Medical, Hemophilia Federation India (HFI), explains that before the WFH, prophylaxis wasn’t an option in India. Now that it has been a reality for several years, data exists which can be used to advocate with governments.
We have convinced the government that prophylaxis is the way to go. Once they see the effects, then they are convinced.
—Cecil Ross, MD, Vice President, Medical, Hemophilia Federation India (HFI)
The collaboration has also helped expand medical infrastructure in India for diagnosis. Bipin Kulkarni, MD, Deputy Director of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) noted, “Patients previously had to travel hundreds of kilometers just for diagnosis… if you have the labs locally and the expertise developed locally, these patients don’t have to travel long distances, and it’s a big advantage for them.”
Patient stories further highlight the success of these programs. One hemophilia patient shared how, before receiving regular factor treatments, he missed school frequently. Now he attends school regularly, and he has regained mobility in one knee.
Corporate sponsors—essential to supply donated factor to the WFH—had a chance to witness the impact of their support in India during the visit. What they saw moved them. “It really means a lot to us to be able to partner with the WFH,” says one corporate sponsor representative. “The day-to-day collaboration is really looking at not only what products that we bring… but really how do we evolve the program so that it is bringing the best outcome to the patients and their families.” Another corporate sponsor representative said, “I’m overwhelmed by the difference [donated treatment product] makes… to be in the room and [to hear] the power of their stories… I’ll never be the same, it just was really significant. And we’re not done yet.”
To read the first article and video in this series, “WFH has multifaceted impact in India”, click here. To read the second article and video, “WFH collaboration with Sahyadri Hospital in India bears fruit”, click here.
Almost 42 million IUs of factor were donated to India through the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program in 2023. Since 2015, over 370 million IUs of factor have been donated to India. To find out more about the WFH Humanitarian Program, please click here.
About the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program
The WFH Humanitarian Aid Program improves the lack of access to care and treatment by providing much-needed support for people with inherited bleeding disorders in developing countries. By providing patients with a more predictable and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid donations, the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program makes it possible for patients to receive consistent and reliable access to treatment and care. None of this would be possible without the generous support of Sanofi and Sobi, our Founding Visionary Contributors; Bayer, CSL Behring and Roche, our Visionary Contributors; Grifols, our Leadership Contributor; and Takeda and Japan Blood Products Organization, our Contributors. To learn more about the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program, visit www.treatmentforall.org.
