Dr Thynn Thynn  Yee (front) with members of the Katharine Dormandy haemophilia teamThe Katharine Dormandy haemophilia centre at the Royal Free Hospital is celebrating its first twinning arrangement in a decade, partnering with two hospitals in Myanmar, Southeast Asia.

On October 20 2014 the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) approved the partnership between the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust’s haemophilia centre and Yangon Children’s Hospital and Yangon General Hospital in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar.

Twinning partnerships help centres across the globe build on their capacity through the mutual transfer of skills and knowledge, and encourages the sharing of best practices between organisations.

The arrangement, which is valid for the next four years, will also entitle all three centres to apply to the WFH for funding to support various twinning activities between the United Kingdom and Myanmar.

The Katharine Dormandy centre provides a range of specialist services and treatments for patients with haemophilia and related blood clotting disorders, such as von Willebrand disease.

This is the centre’s the first twinning partnership since its relationship with Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong came to an end in 2004.

Dr Thynn Thynn Yee, a senior clinician at the Katharine Dormandy centre, said: “I am delighted that we will be working with these two hospitals to form a successful and inclusive global haemophilia network, particularly as they are based in my home country of Myanmar.

“Katharine Dormandy haemophilia centre has been an International Haemophilia Training Centre since 1972, and with that honour has a responsibility to bring treatment to patients, inspiration to many and leadership to all who we engage with.”