NNHF is a grant-making, non-profit organisation dedicated to improving access to quality care for people living with haemophilia and rare blood disorders in low- and middle-income countries. The foundation’s approach emphasises capacity building, diagnosis and registry, awareness and advocacy, and shared learnings. Since 2020, the NNHF has worked in a phased partnership with NNF to accelerate blood disorders care through two projects.
The first project from 2020 – 2023 aimed to achieve government support in the form of a national blood disorders programme/policy in Kenya and Tanzania. This was done through improving the care and diagnosis infrastructure and the capacity of blood disorder management within the national health systems. By creating platforms for engagement and involvement of international experts, local policy and decision makers as well as health care providers and community representatives, the project resulted in a more cohesive and stronger blood disorder community.
The second project from 2023 – 2025 aims to elevate the standard of care for people with bleeding disorders and sickle cell disease across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. This will be achieved by:
- Improve access to blood disorders care infrastructure and data by establishing/upgrading 39 reference training centres, hospital care centres and primary health care facilities.
- Increase diagnosis rate through screening activities, diagnosing 700 new persons with haemophilia.
- Empower national patient organisations in the four countries to advocate for improved care.
- Leverage on the learnings and experiences from all four countries through multi stakeholder dialogue, the Blood Disorders Leadership Forum and publication of data.
The project will ensure that more persons living with bleeding disorders and sickle cell in LMICs will be diagnosed, treated and cared for in an equitable way, faster and closer to where they live. It aims to reach 2,600 people with bleeding disorders and their families, and several thousands of people affected by sickle cell disease and, it intends to strengthen integration of bleeding disorders in the NCD policy agenda.
