World Hemophilia Day - April 17, 2023

World Hemophilia Day is oragnized by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) on April 17 every year to raise awareness about bleeding disorders such as hemophilia. This day also aims to raise funds for people affected with hemophilia and gather support from volunteers for WFH. The theme of World Hemophilia Day is “Access for All: Prevention of bleeds as the global standard of care”.

The condition of haemophilia is quite rare as only 1 out of 10,000 people suffer from it or rather are born with it. World Haemophilia Day is observed to make people aware of the possible causes of the disease and how the disease can be treated.

World Hemophilia Day 2023

World Haemophilia Day is celebrated on April 17 because the date commemorates the birth of Frank Schnabel, the founder of the World Federation for Hemophilia. Haemophilia is a rare and difficult condition that is spread mainly through genetics. The purpose of World Haemophilia Day is to demand accessible care and treatment for people affected with hemophilia.

World Federation for Hemophilia (WFH) is an organization that has made consistent efforts since 1989 to make more and more people aware of this medical condition. Learn more about World Hemophilia Day from the table shared below.

World Hemophilia Day 2023 Theme

The theme of World Haemophiilia Day 2023 is “Access for All: Prevention of bleeds as the global standard of care”. This year’s theme is a call to action for policymakers and governments. World Hemophilia Day is an occasion to demand better facilities and accessible care for patients.

Every year a new World Hemophilia Day theme is decided to celebrate the day depending on the new challenges that haemophilia patients face. We have shared some of the previous years’ themes here.

• The theme of World Haemophilia Day 2022 was "Access for All: Partnership, Policy, Progress." 
• World Haemophilia Day 2021 theme was "Adapting to change." This theme highlighted the challenges that the pandemic had brought along and how people will have to learn to coexist with these challenges.
• The theme of International Day of Hemophilia 2020 was “Get + Involved”.

World Haemophilia Day - History

World Hemophilia Day is observed every year on April 17. Every year, a different theme is declared for the celebration of the cause. This day is observed to honour Frank Schnabel, who is the founder of the World Federation of Haemophilia. Another purpose of World Haemophilia Day is to gather funds and support for people affected by hemophilia.

• Since 1989, World Federation for Hemophilia is organising this day to support all the people who suffer from different kinds of bleeding disorders.
• International Haemophilia Day celebrates their journey and treatment experience and brings awareness in the community.
• On this day, people affected by the disorder share their challenges during treatment due to the lack of proper healthcare systems.

About Haemophilia

World Hemophilia Day raises awareness about hemophilia, a condition which is generally inherited. This condition reduces the body's ability to form blood clots. Therefore, even if the patient experiences a minor injury, they may experience severe bleeding. There is a protein called the clotting factor responsible for forming blood clots.

World Hemophilia Day - Types and Symptoms of Hemophilia

The popular notion about haemophilia is that men are more prone to the disease than women. Two types of haemophilia are known to humankind:

• Haemophilia A, which indicates that the person is deficient in clotting factor VIII.
• Haemophilia B, which indicates a lack of sufficient factor IX.

There are different symptoms of haemophilia that you should know about. Some of these symptoms are:

• A lot of bruises which are usually large
• The blood leaks into the muscles and joints
• Bleeding that occurs without warning (sudden bleeding inside the body for no apparent reason)
• Prolonged bleeding following a cut, tooth extraction, or surgery

World Haemophilia Day - Tests and Treatment for Hemophilia

Haemophilia can be tested by taking a sample of blood and then checking it for the level of protein factor in the blood. There is only one known treatment for haemophilia, which is the replacement therapy. World Hemophilia Day raises awareness about the treatments of the condition.

World Hemophilia Day - Significance

According to the Haemophilia Foundation Australia, a WFH member organisation, World Haemophilia Day is observed every year on April 17 to ensure increased awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders, which will lead to better diagnosis and access to care for the millions who remain untreated.

The goal of World Hemophilia Day is to raise awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders in order to improve and sustain care for persons with hereditary bleeding disorders all over the world.

FAQs on World Hemophilia Day

Q1. When is World Hemophilia Day celebrated?

World Hemophilia Day is celebrated every year on April 17th. The World Federation of Hemophilia organizes this day in many parts of the world to raise awareness about blood disorders such as hemophilia.

Q2. What is the theme of World Hemophilia Day 2023?

The theme of World Hemophiilia Day 2023 is “Access for All: Prevention of bleeds as the global standard of care”. This year’s theme is a call to action for policymakers and governments so that they can identify the needs of people affected by hemophilia and offer them better care and infrastructure.

Q3. Why do we celebrate World Haemophilia Day?

We celebrate World Hemophilia Day to raise awareness about hemophilia and other blood disorders. This day is observed on April 17 because this date commemorates the birth of Frank Schnabel, the founder of the World Federation for Hemophilia.

Q4. When was World Hemophilia Day started?

World Haemophilia Day was first celebrated in the year 1989. World Federation for Hemophilia is the organization that started World Hemophilia Day. This day has been celebrated every year since 1989 to raise awareness about blood disorders such as hemophilia.

Q5. What was the World Hemophilia Day theme 2021?

The theme of World Hemophilia Day 2021 was "Adapting to change." This theme highlighted the challenges that the pandemic brought along and how people will have to learn to coexist with these challenges.

Q6. What do you do on World Hemophilia Day?

On World Hemophilia Day, people honor Frank Schnabel, the founder of World Federation for Hemophilia. This day is also special because it raises awareness about blood disorders such as hemophilia and demands action from world leaders.