Representing HFA globally

NATASHIA COCO

Natashia Coco is HFA Executive Director

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) Global Assembly is the annual meeting for all National Member Organisations (NMOs) to come together. The meeting was an insight into the international work of WFH and showcases issues for both developing and developed countries. It was an honour for me to represent Australia.

I voted on behalf of Australia on WFH committee member positions, and the destination for WFH Congress in 2028 – which is Chicago.

At the meeting Benin and Rwanda became full NMOs; and Burundi, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Guinea, and Sierra Leone became associate NMOs. This brings the total number of NMOs in the WFH family to 152.

CONGRESS

WFH Congress is an experience that is information overload, but it’s very meaningful at the same time. It was great to meet others and see people we have known for a long time from around the world and hear all their stories, the successes and the failures. How can we do better?

Personally, I left Congress feeling so excited about what is potentially around the corner with treatment for our community, but also thinking about how we are going to educate our community to support the treatment decision-making process, and how we can look at other countries’ learnings to move forward in the best way.

Congress this year had over 3,000 delegates from 135 countries. With an extensive and full program over three days it was wonderful to hear experiences from around the world and the personal stories. I really focused my session attendance on gene therapy and emerging treatments and women. The sessions I attended answered most of my questions and I ended Congress feeling much better informed.

On the last evening HFA hosted an Australian get together so that all our delegates could catch up and chat about what we have got out of Congress. Everyone was elevated, tired and so excited. In total we had 20 Australians in Congress (supported financially in different ways). You will read some of their reflections and reports in this issue of National Haemophilia.

In 2026 WFH Congress will be hosted in Malaysia, closer to our shores.