Kyiv, 17 April 2020 – Haemophilia is a rare hereditary disease associated with impaired blood coagulation. Any damage to the skin of a patient can lead to prolonged haemorrhages, which are difficult to stop.

About 1 in 10,000 people are born with the disease. According to the World Federation of Haemophilia report for 2018, 2,188 people living with haemophilia in Ukraine. With the regular use of medicines, patients can lead a normal lifestyle.

Over five years, UNDP Ukraine has provided medicines for people living with haemophilia, and has cooperated with organizations of patients living with haemophilia, improving the process of medical procurement and supporting protection of the human rights of patients in Ukraine.

In 2018, UNDP Ukraine supported the “Children with Haemophilia” Charity Foundation and the “Factor D” Ukrainian Association for Haemophilia and Haemostasis through the small grants programme, aimed at developing the capacities of civil society organizations. Patient NGOs monitored the process of distribution of medicines in selected regions, and contributed recommendations for improving the delivery, stocking and use of medicines at local hospitals.

The inputs received were used in the development of the "Public Monitoring of the Delivery, Availability and Use of Medicines at the Local Level" monitoring guidelines, aimed at contributing to the fair and transparent provision of free medicines to patients by supporting NGOs' efforts to improve the national supply chain system and take advocacy steps for protecting the basic human right of accessibility to treatment and healthcare.

This year, UNDP Ukraine has procured for the first time an innovative medicine for the treatment of children with haemophilia A inhibitors – Emicizumab. Emicizumab reduces the risk of bleeding by 68 percent more than other medicines. The medicine can be injected subcutaneously and can be taken much less frequently than other medicines, which eases the treatment process. Since 2020, Emicizumab, which is authorized for use in the European Union and the United States, has been available to patients in all regions of Ukraine.

"Patients notice a significant reduction in spontaneous bleeding during prophylactic treatment of haemophilia with Emicizumab,” says Nina Astaforova-Yatsenko, the head of Charity Foundation "Children with Haemophilia."

“As the mother of one patient says: 'Previously, my son could not even go to the toilet without new bleeding. After starting treatment with Emicizumab, my child says that he sometimes forgets he has haemophilia!"

In 2019, UNDP Ukraine was able to save up to US $14 million on medicines for adults and children living with haemophilia. The price of Emicizumab for Ukraine was reduced by 33-53 percent compared to the price for some other European countries. The money saved was returned to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and may be used to procure vital medicines for even more people. And every year, UNDP improves its mechanisms of medical procurement to ensure that no one is left behind.

Background

In 2015, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reached out to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and other international partners (including UNICEF and the Crown Agents), to request support with the procurement of medicines. According to the agreement signed between the ministry and UNDP, Ukraine will procure medicines through international organizations, including UNDP, as an interim measure until 2022. In the meantime, the state-owned enterprise “Medical Procurement of Ukraine,” which will eventually become the central procurement agency, is developing its procurement capacity and will inherit best world practice from UNDP.

Media enquiries

Kostiantyn Prymak, Communications and Graphics Support Consultant, UNDP “Procurement Support Services to MOH of Ukraine” Project, kostiantyn.prymak@undp.org, +380 95 090 13 41