In Algeria—the largest country in Africa—the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and the Algerian National Hemophilia Association are working hard to improve the care and treatment of women with bleeding disorders. As per the 2017 WFH Annual Global Survey, 320 patients are currently diagnosed with von Willebrand disease (VWD) in that country. On October 29 to 30, in Algiers, a training workshop was held for health care professionals—including pediatric and adult hematologists, gynecologists, lab technicians, and ministry of health representatives—in order to give them the tools they need to better support the accurate diagnosis and proper care of women with bleeding disorders.
Participants came from all over the country to acquire new knowledge and to share best practices. During the two-day event, there was much exchange on the clinical management of different conditions. Many topics were covered, such as treatment options, the organization of care delivery for patients, and ways of identifying and referring women and girls who are suspected of having VWD or another condition.
