Representative of the Ombudsman attended an event dedicated to the World Hemophilia Day

April 17 is annually celebrated as the World Hemophilia Day since 1989 at the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). This is not of coincidence, as it is the birthday of Frank Schnabel, the founder of the WFH. Since 1999 that day is also marked in Azerbaijan to attract the attention of state agencies to this problem.

These details were sounded at the event by the Republic Association of Patients with Hemophilia on the occasion of the World Hemophilia Day.

The representative of the Ombudsman Office M.Mahmudov took part in this event, which was attended by the Members of the Milli Mejlis, representatives of relevant state bodies, NGOs and mass media, medical staff and persons with hemophilia.

The facilitators noted that the above-mentioned date was established for attracting attention and raising awareness of the world community and healthcare employees in the everyday problems faced by people suffering from hemophilia.

The representative of the Office provided broad information on the significant measures carried out by the state in the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, including the people suffering from hemophilia, thalassemia and other genetic blood disorders, the extensive activity of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova in this field. He also noted the successful implementation of the specific Law “On State care for persons suffering from hemophilia and thalassemia genetic blood disorders”, also three consecutive state programs in this area. Approval of “National Action Plan on Early Prophylaxis and Treatment of the Disability Typical of Childhood for 2018-2020”, “State Program on inclusive education for the persons with disabilities in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2018-2024”, as well as other documents of this kind by the relevant Orders of the country President assumes great importance for the persons with hemophilia as well.

It was mentioned that the people from this group are always given attention and care with support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation led by the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva. Establishing the specialized centre and blood banks within the project “For the sake of life without thalassemia” has particular importance.

It was mentioned that series of awareness-raising events are organized by the Ombudsman E.Suleymanova in the capital and regions, at the Leadership School of the Azerbaijan Child and Youth Peace Network, also in the Resource Center for the Elderly, the Commissioner has proposed in the annual reports to establish Medical-Genetic Lab for the purpose of raising awareness of the population about the hemophilia and other blood disorders, studying the causes for emergence of the disease.

Every year, the package of proposals directed at the protection of the health of population, improvement of the social status of persons with disabilities is prepared by the Ombudsman during discussing the new draft law on state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and great majority of them are taken into consideration.

It was emphasized that numerous problems of the people suffering from blood disorders were resolved as a result of the cooperation of the Commissioner with state bodies and NGOs.