A Hermatologist, Dr Christiana Udoh, has advised the public to always seek medical aid in any case of bleeding disorder to prevent complications and death.

Udoh, a consultant hermatologist with the National Hospital, Abuja and Director, Hemophilia Treatment Centre, North Central,gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Hemophilia is a medical condition which reduces the ability of the blood to clot normally, causing the sufferer to bleed excessively from even a slight injury, trauma or surgery.

According to her, hemophilia is a rare disease, adding that its awareness was low, especially in rural areas

This development, the consultant noted, led to several deaths and excessive bleeding from post circumcision complication, accidents and injuries.

“ Most common symptoms are post circumcision bleeding.

“When most of the children that were circumcised immediately after circumcision bleed excessively, this indicates that there is a problem; it is most likely that patients have bleeding disorder.

“ Others are joint pain and swelling in knees, elbow, hips, shoulders, arms and legs muscles, painful and prolonged headache and repeated vomiting,“ she said.

Udoh stressed the need for parents to be on the look-out for such symptoms, and report immediately for accurate diagnosis, test, treatment and management for the patients in hospitals.

“ You make sure you avoid and caution your child from falling excessively, because they can fall and hit their head, getting cuts unnecessarily because when they have cuts, they will bleed excessively.

“ Avoid unnecessary and strenuous exercises or playing lots of football, basketball, or very strenuous activities because they could lead to bleeding through the joints.

“ And then in school, you need to notify the teachers about kids that have bleeding disorder.’’

She called on the government to support in the diagnosis, treatment and management of hemophilia to reduce the effects on the patients.

The medical practitioner described hemophilia as a rare disease, adding that government should come to the aid of sufferers.

“ We are advocating that government should also come to the aid of hemophilia patients, especially the poor among them.

“This will enable them to do the test, discover the disease and get treatment for because treatment is very expensive.“ (NAN)

-Sep 24, 2019 @ 14:59 GMT |