A programme and panel discussion was held on April 17, World Hemophilia Day by Haemophilia Federation (India), a non-profit self-help organisation to rise awareness about the disorder.

Haemophilia is a disorder in which a person's blood does not clot normally because it lacks sufficient blood-clotting proteins (clotting factors). "We held a programme today at the India Habitat Centre on raising awareness about the disease. A panel discussion was held yesterday too," said an official of the Haemophilia Federation (India), a non-profit self-help organisation.

The federation, which is working for people with hemophilia held the event in partnership with a leading global biotechnology company. Qutub Minar, Delhi's iconic minaret, was today lit up in red to mark World Haemophilia Day. "The iconic monument was illuminated in red yesterday on the eve of World Haemophilia Day too," he said.

Haemophilia afflicts 1 in 10,000 people and with the right treatment and holistic care, these patients can potentially lead a near-normal life. Dr Tulika Seth, Professor Hematology at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said, "With access to adequate factor replacement, appropriate monitoring and good physiotherapy, all children with hemophilia can lead productive and pain-free lives." It is important to inform the public about this disorder, so that if children develop joint swellings after injury or increased bleeding, the families can come forward for early diagnosis, she said during the panel discussion.