Negros lawmaker pledges support in fight vs hemophilia

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Fifth district Rep. Marilou Arroyo pledged support to fight hemophilia, a rare disorder where blood does not clot normally due to the lack of sufficient blood-clotting proteins which leads to fatal bleeding.

Arroyo, chair of the House Committee on Health, made the pledge after she met recently with the officials of Hemophilia Philippines (HAPLOS Community) Foundation Inc.

The crusade of the organization is providing better access to medical care for persons with Hemophilia.

The bleeding mostly occurs internally within a person’s muscles and joints. Even simple cuts are fatal for Hemophilia patients since they bleed for a longer time after an injury than those who have their blood clotted normally.

18-year-old John Lorenz, who just finished Grade 12 last year, was confined for 12 days in a hospital for Iliopsoas bleeding.

Iliopsoas is a deep hip muscle group important for standing, walking and running.

A month later, he was again confined for 54 days for the same reason. For an ordinary healthy person, recovery may take less time. For somebody with hemophilia, healing lasts longer.

John Lorenz is among the 1,500 Filipinos identified with hemophilia in the country who have been suffering with the disease due to lack of access to treatment and high cost of medication. Treatment for hemophilia could cost up to P30,000 to P50,000 daily.

“Personally hearing the stories of those suffering from hemophilia completely breaks my heart. With the best of my ability as a legislator, I will help them in making sure that there will be easy access to treatment of this disease. Hopefully, my fellow legislators in the House of Representatives can give me their utmost support to give the people with hemophilia a better chance at life,” Arroyo said.

Hemophilia Philippines (HAPLOS Community) Foundation Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit patient organization established in 1993 to help the people with Hemophilia and their families attain a better quality of life and become productive members of society.

(Photo Courtesy of interaksyon.com)