'Medication shortage threatens haemophiliacs'
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Thursday June 12, 2025 15:08
Patients of the rare blood clotting disorder were sharing their journeys recently during the World Haemophilia Day which was commemorated at Phase IV Chedu Choga Hall in the second city.
One of the haemophilia activists, John Thompson, stated that there is shortage of medication for factors IX (9) and VIII (8) for haemophilia treatment.
He said there is always a struggle to get medication at the hospital, especially for Factor 8.
The patient added there is a need for a haemophilia clinic in Francistown, just like the one that operates in Gaborone.
According to Thompson, there would be easy access to medication if there were a haemophilia clinic close by.
'When I was living in the south, we were given medication to take home for six months, so I used to know how to inject myself with it.
'That hasn't been the case since I moved to the north because I'm supposed to visit the hospital for treatment,' he told the gathering.
Thompson stated that due to the condition of being in and outside the hospital many haemophiliacs cannot work.
He indicated that even after attempting to work to support their families, they will not be able to sleep the following day due to their excruciating pain and excessive bleeding.
“We have children, families, and we don’t have jobs because we are like people living with disabilities. Consider us in your programmes because we are struggling.
“We are rare and just like any other disabled person we need assistance from the government,” added Thompson.
Speaking about his journey, the patient revealed that for over four decades he has been surviving using Factor 8 medication for haemophilia.
He stated that if there had been treatment procedures in place to stabilise the illness in the past, he would not be in his current state he is in or disabled.
'My leg shouldn't have been lost. When I was 12 years old in 1984, I lost my leg. My knees and ankles were constantly swollen at the time. I kept bleeding and going in and out of the hospital to get help,' he said.
Thompson explained that the doctors feared he had cancer and that at one point his leg was amputated because the bleeding and swelling got worse.
He mentioned that he was a survivor since in the '80s and '90s there were no resources, preventative, and therapeutic strategies in place to fight against haemophilia.
He added that because the sickness was relatively unknown at the time and medical professionals were unprepared, some people did not survive, and others died at birth.
“I am here as a living testimony that haemophilia is out there, and we need to fight it,” he said.
Another activist, Karabo Lambane, shared the same sentiments as Thompson regarding their struggles including issues of shortage of medication.
He stated that there is a constant lack of haemophilia medicines. Lambane stated that he takes his Factor 8 prescription every two weeks, although other patients use it every week.
“Whilst Factor 9 is constantly available, Factor 8 is unfortunately always in limited supply. This is true even though the majority of patients receive Factor 8 therapy,' he added.
He said that he was lucky to have been diagnosed with haemophilia at the age of four, as all necessary precautions were taken to combat the fatal condition.
Lambane noted that since his uncle also has haemophilia, the condition runs in the family, meaning he too was born with it. Haemophilia is a hereditary disorder typically carried by females and affecting males.
Although he was playful at the time and ignorant because he was still a child, Lambane stated that the illness had caused him to have a horrible childhood.
'Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital is like my second home. As I speak to you this morning, I spent the night at the hospital because my hand was swollen,' he said.
Lambane stated that he had difficulties adjusting to the school calendar because he was in and out if hospital and even wrote his Form Five final examination whilst in hospital.
He is concerned that he can’t stay far from Francistown because he could need immediate medical attention anytime of the day.