Uganda seeks gene therapy in sickle cell disease fight

Kityo said only one Ugandan, Allan Byamukama, 35, residing in the US, has been cured of SCD using gene therapy. “This survivor is our ambassador and champion, which energises us that we can do gene therapy here, provided we fi nd the right product at the right price and have the infrastructure to manufacture it locally,” she said.

Approximately 20,000 children are born with SCD in Uganda annually. Notably, without comprehensive care, 70–80% of affected children die before the age of five, and these deaths account for 13% of the national under-five mortality rate.