Over the past month, the Canadian Association of PNH Patients (PNHCA) has been working hard to share the story of Konrad Krzeminski, a 20-year-old PNH patient living in Poland who requires urgent publicly funded access to the life-saving treatment, eculizumab. PNHCA has been advocating to the Minister of Health in Poland on behalf of Konrad and his family, and assisting them to tell their story through the Polish media and over Facebook where we reached more than 14,000 people worldwide.
As a result of these advocacy efforts, Konrad recently received some very positive news: during the estimated six-month reimbursement process, and while in the Warsaw hospital, Konrad will be getting eculizumab treatment. Through the families fundraising efforts, Konrad has received a few doses of eculizumab which already appears to be improving his PNH symptoms.
In addition to this positive news, Konstanty Radziwiłł, the Minister of Health in Poland, recently responded to a letter from Barry Katsof, founder and president of the Canadian Association of PNH Patients. In his response, Minister Radziwiłł explained that the existing laws regarding publicly funded healthcare services in Poland are under revision. The Minister confirmed that he is working to amend these laws, so that in future cases like Konrad’s, the government will be able to act quickly to provide patients with the treatment they urgently need.
PNHCA thanks the Minister of Health for his commitment to improving access to medication in Poland, and for expediting access to eculizumab for Konrad and any other PNH patients who need this life-saving treatment, now and in the future.