World Hemophilia Day Observed Globally on 17 April to Raise Awareness on Bleeding Disorders.

World Hemophilia Day (WHD) is observed every year on 17 April across the globe to raise awareness about Hemophilia—a rare inherited bleeding disorder—and other blood-related conditions that impair clotting. The observance is led by the Canada-based World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and emphasizes the need for better diagnosis, treatment, and support systems for individuals with bleeding disorders.

      - The 2025 observance marks the 31st anniversary of WHD, continuing its mission to amplify global awareness and support. It serves as a platform to unite the bleeding disorders community and draw attention to the challenges patients face, particularly in terms of medical access and societal understanding.

      - The theme for WHD 2025 is "Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too". This year’s theme focuses on gender equity in diagnosis and care. It highlights how females are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to lack of awareness and clinical recognition, despite also being affected by bleeding disorders.

      - WHD was first celebrated on 17 April 1989, initiated by the World Federation of Hemophilia. The date commemorates the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, the visionary founder of WFH, who played a key role in shaping the global community for people with hemophilia.

Main Point :-   (i) Hemophilia is a genetic bleeding disorder where the blood does not clot properly due to a lack of essential clotting factors. The two primary types are Hemophilia A, caused by a deficiency of Factor VIII, which affects approximately 21 in 100,000 males, and Hemophilia B (also known as Christmas Disease), resulting from a deficiency of Factor IX, affecting around 4 in 100,000 males.

      (ii) A major challenge in managing hemophilia is the global treatment gap—only about 25% of the estimated 1.1 million affected people worldwide receive adequate care. Around 85% of those in low-income countries lack access to proper diagnosis and treatment. WHD also serves as a call for policy advocacy to improve availability of clotting factor therapies and comprehensive care programs.

(iii) As part of 2025 events, the WFH 2025 Comprehensive Care Summit titled “New Developments in Bleeding Disorders and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Care” will be held from 23 to 25 April 2025 in Dubai, UAE, in collaboration with Hemophilia Eastern Mediterranean Network (HEMNET). Additionally, the WFH 2026 World Congress is scheduled for 19 to 22 April 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia.
About World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH)