Il Day Hospital for Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies (DHTE) of the University Hospital of Ferrara, directed by Dr. Filomena Longo (in the photo), has been selected to carry out thetraining internship activities aimed at professionals who join the assistance network of the Palestinian Ministry of Healthwithin the project of international cooperation and solidarity “Haemo_Pal”.
“The DHTE – highlights Dr. Longo – will therefore have the pleasure of hosting some colleagues from Palestine, on dates between 9 and October 13, 2023; We are talking about a haematologist, an endocrinologist and a nurse. We will have the opportunity to share our experience as a Regional Reference Center for Thalassemia. The focus will focus in particular on the implementation of skills for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies. The multidisciplinary approach of the DHTE of Ferrara, together with the adoption of national and international best practices and guidelines, represents a model to follow to increase the Palestinian experience. This training will help support the design and development of care networks for Palestinian patients affected by Thalassemia and Haemoglobinopathies”.
The project is funded byItalian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and coordinated by the National Blood Center (CNS). The general objective is to improve the state of health of the Palestinian population affected by congenital haematological diseases, with the specific aim of developing a network of centers for the treatment of haemophilia and other congenital haemorrhagic diseases and thalassemia and other haemoglobinopathies. Project partners are the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the National Blood Center, the EMO Foundation, the ForAnemia Foundation, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Marche Region, the Tuscany Region (Global Health Center) and the Umbria Region.
The hemoglobinopathies part of the project was organized in partnership with the ForAnemia Foundation and saw the involvement of Italian doctors from the SITE centers (Italian Scientific Society for Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies).
On January 30, 2023, the first group of Palestinian medical and nursing staff arrived in Genoa to take part in the internship provided for in the Haemo_Pal project. The group remained until February 3 at the SSD Microcitemia, congenital anemias and iron dysmetabolism facility, Ente Ospedali Galliera in Genoa. The Palestinian team was offered “peer” training with the aim of promoting the acquisition of clinical and organizational skills and the development of specialist services for the management of patients affected by congenital haematological diseases.
Next October, therefore, a second group of medical and nursing personnel will arrive in Italy to take part in the internship. Four locations have been identified, namely: FerraraCagliari, Perugia and Genoa.