Wahid T. Hanna, UT Graduate School of Medicine professor of medicine and chief of hematology/oncology, recently received a Recognition of Contribution Award for his outstanding, worldwide contributions to the field of hemophilia in Cairo, Egypt.
Dr. Hanna, who is also the director of the East Tennessee Comprehensive Hemophilia Center, was presented the award by the World Federation of Hemophilia, Egyptian Society of Hemophilia and the Egyptian Ministry of Health.
Dr. Hanna has been involved in hematology/oncology research and the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases for 37 years. He started his career at the UT Memorial Research Center, the predecessor to UT Medical Center, and joined the UT Graduate School of Medicine in 1980.
Hemophilia is a rare, inherited bleeding disorder in which blood does not clot normally and may cause excessive or internal bleeding. This internal bleeding can damage organs or tissues and, sometimes, be fatal. The East Tennessee Comprehensive Hemophilia Center, directed by Dr. Hanna and located at UT Medical Center, treats more than 200 patients suffering from hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, including platelet dysfunction and von Willebrand’s disease.
"The East Tennessee community is fortunate to have Dr. Hanna’s level of experience and expertise to help sufferers of hematologic diseases live healthier lives," said James J. Neutens, Ph.D., FASHA, Dean, UT Graduate School of Medicine.
Dr. Hanna’s involvement in a collaborative program between UT Medical Center and Egypt began in 1995. Since that time, several new hemophilia treatment centers have been created in Egypt and the level of hemophilia care has improved tremendously.
The inception of the Twinning Program between Knoxville and Egypt began in 1999 as part of the World Federation of Hemophilia, an international organization based in Canada. The program is one of 25 worldwide.
In 2003, the Knoxville-Cairo partnership received the prestigious Twin of the Year Award for developing a National Patient Registry, which was presented in Tokyo at the World Congress of Hemophilia by the World Federation of Hemophilia.
The UT Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville is part of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the statewide academic health system. The school is home to more than 200 teaching physicians and researchers; more than 190 medical and dental resident physicians in 11 residency and 11 fellowship programs; and more than 180 volunteer faculty physicians and dentists. The school, together with clinical partner, University Health System Inc., forms the University of Tennessee Medical Center, the only academic medical center in the area. For more information about the UT Graduate School of Medicine, visit http://gsm.utmck.edu/.