The Iranian Hemophilia Society acts through some 20 offices throughout Iran. Although not all the offices share the same standards of service, nonetheless every office helps the IHS span its reach to the patients in the most remote areas. Below we highlight some of the services these offices provide:
Mazandaran: The Mazandran bureau of the IHS is one of its oldest provincial offices. Mahdi Reshad, head of the IHS-Mazandaran office is also the consultant of the ministry of health within his province. Acknowledging irresponsible distribution of factor concentrates, improper job selection by the patients and unemployment as the main obstacles facing patients with hemophilia (PWH) in Mazandaran, he has managed to facilitate the recruitment of five hemophiliacs in job positions compatible with their condition. The office has also managed to help patients receive over 32,000 dollars worth of low-interest bank loans. Thanks to the activities of IHS-Mazandaran, patients within the province can take advantage of government owned pools and sporting facilities to improve their physical fitness.
Lorestan: This newly found IHS office is based in one of the most deprived provinces of Iran. Leila Angizeh the office manager is trying to provide the most essential services for PWH. In a recently held meeting with physicians and provincial authorities, the office managed to achieve the following for Hemophilia patients with in the province: 1) Physicians attending the meeting offered free visits for patients with hemophilia referred by the IHS office. 2) Authorities promised pharmaceutical services free of charge for PWH. 3) A physiotherapist accepted to offer special services to PWH. 4) Hospital authorities pledged to assign the physical space for the IHS office. 5) The support committee for patients with hemophilia was formed by some of the well-known physicians and benefactors within the province.
Hamedan: The Hamedan office owes much of its success to the efforts of Mohammad Meyriz who has managed to take advantage of volunteers within his province. The office has made great achievements in reducing health costs for the patients through gaining physicians’ support, and also paying for the travel costs of patients seeking treatment in Tehran. Financial support for students is another service offered by the office. Lobbying different authorities in the city council, ministry of health, provincial governors, and the media is a mainstay of IHS-Hamedan activities. Also through the activities of the office a dentistry unit has been donated to serve patients with hemophilia in Hamedan. Thanks to similar efforts all the viral assays for patients with hemophilia are carried out at Hamedans Day Laboratory free of charge.
Dezfool: is one of the smaller, yet still active, IHS offices; which offers its services to a portion of the patients living in the Khoozestan province. Alongside different counseling services the office has managed to secure free of charge visits by some of the most recognized specialists in the city and free of charge viral assays for its patients.
Zanjan: The zanjan bureau of the IHS is a great example of how good relations with government officials can improve the lives of patients with hemophilia. Under the nonprofit leadership of Mr. Nasiri this office has managed to provide unique services for patients with hemophilia in the province: 1) the building of two rural homes for patients living in distant villages with the help of other charity organizations. 2) Applying for government distributed stocks through the IHS office. 3) Referring patients to the polytechnic organization of Iran to receive technical educations helping them find suitable jobs compatible with their condition. 4) The office has also managed to raise funds for covering travel costs, educational grants and financial support for PWH.
Khoozestan: IHS-khoozestan is one of the most financially successful offices throughout the country. With many benefactors both within government authorities and the private sector, this office has seen great achievements at its reach. Within the first five month of this year the office has given out more than 4500 dollars of direct financial support to patient in different fields including educational grants, travel expenses, and treatment costs. Also more than 3000 dollars worth of goods have been distributed among patients. Moreover the office managed to offer unique services to its patients including treatment costs for arthroplasty of ten PWH with help of the city council, and renovating the IHS provincial office building with the help of benefactors among others.