MoU signed for free hemophilia treatment

Kathmandu, Feb 16: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Ministry of Health and Population and the World Federation of Hemophilia to provide free medication for hemophilia patients in Nepal.     

The MoU signing ceremony follows the recent announcement of the government to provide free medicine to the patients of hemophilia, a hereditary blood clotting disorder.     

The press note released by the Personal Secretariat of the Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel today stated that the MoU was inked last Friday at the Department of Drug Administration.     

As per the agreement, the essential drugs will be provided to hemophilia patients from any public healthcare centres across the country besides the federal and provincial hospitals.     

There are 900 registered cases of hemophilia in Nepal, according to Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, the Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population.     

The World Health Organization estimates that there are around such 5,000 patients who are yet to be identified.     

Of the 2.2 per cent of the population with disabilities reported in the latest census, some 0.8 per cent of them were estimated to be living with hemophilia, read the press note.(RSS)