The NNHF was delighted to present Robyn Devenish with her 2011 Community Award during a fact finding visit to Cambodia (find out why Robyn won the award here) 

The NNHF heard from Robyn (pictured left with NNHF General Manager Susanne Brandl) and her team about their efforts to engage the government in improving haemophilia care. 

“There is a need to raise awareness through education for haemophilia families, and the government needs to better understand the patients’ situation as well.  We need to be strong and bring this awareness through to government.”
Sithan Kong, head of Cambodian Patient Association (pictured right with Robyn)

Further awareness amongst healthcare professionals is also an urgent requirement as screening and testing is currently not available in rural areas of Cambodia, where over 80% of people live leading to a currently very low diagnosis rate.

In response to the most urgent needs to improve the care situation for people with haemophilia and allied bleeding disorders, Robyn will establish a further coagulation lab and train healthcare professionals in Battambang with part of the NNHF Award grant. Further efforts will be made in collaboration with the patient association to educate patients and their families about the condition and create more awareness about the disease and its current care set-up.

Do you know someone like Robyn, who has shown outstanding voluntary engagement with the haemophilia community in a developing country?  Nominate them now for the 2012 Community Award.  Deadline for nominations 20th January 2012.

Watch our short film about the awards.