LESOTHO Haemophilia Association says haemophiliacs need support from family members and those around them, but also need proper care more than anything else

The Chairperson of the association, Moeketsi Mootisa said proper treatment can make life easier for haemophiliacs, and family members and friends of such people must be equipped with information on how to give care and support.
He was speaking during the commemoration of the World Haemophilia Day which began with two marathons that ended at the King Moshoeshoe Monument Park in Maseru on Saturday morning.
Mr Mootisa said it is not apparent at a young age, especially in infants, but when they reach crawling stage, one symptom can be easy bruising on knees, but which he said must be accompanied by other symptoms that include bleeding of joints and muscles.
He also said, because only males suffer from the condition, many of them are diagnosed during circumcision when they struggle to get the blood to clot, adding that others have frequent gum bleeding or nose bleeding.
One of the symptoms, he said is blood in urine or stool.
However, he said women can be carriers of haemophilia, adding that chances of passing it to their male off spring are 50 percent, if one of the X chromosomes carries a haemophilia gene.
One of the patients of the condition who preferred not to be identified said it is not easy to live with the disease as one always has to ensure that they never bleed at all.

“Imagine growing up as a boy who cannot live a normal boy life because you have to avoid contact sports for fear of bleeding,” the patient said.

He however noted that he tries as much as possible to live a normal life and takes each day as it comes.
The World Haemophilia Day is marked annually on April 17 worldwide since 1989.

This year's theme reads: 'Adapting to change; sustaining care in a new world'.
The condition was first discovered in the 10th century and it was then called Abulcasis.