American soldier fights sickle cell in Uganda

By Taddeo Bwambale

A Ugandan born US Air force officer, Captain Lukia Mulumba has vowed to help Uganda establish a centre for specialised treatment of sickle cell disease.

Once established, the centre will carry out advanced treatment procedures such as bone marrow and cord blood transplant.

Lukia, the founder of the Uganda-America Sickle Cell Association said she was ready to mobilise her colleagues in the US army and medical specialists to volunteer at the centre.

“So many people are willing to come but there is no such centre here. Uganda has the capacity to set up this facility if we all work together,” she said.

Speaking to journalists at Hotel Africana on Thursday, Lukia said she wanted to use her experience living with a sick child to help Ugandans.

“My daughter nearly lost her life at the age of six and it was a traumatizing experience. I wouldn’t love to see any mother going through that experience,” she said.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that is passed on from parents with the sickle cell gene. If both parents have the sickle cell trait gene, chances of transmitting the disorder are higher.

Capt Lukia’s daughter, Carol Mulumba was the first Ugandan to be cured of sickle cell disease using the bone marrow and stem cell transplant. The operation was carried out in the US using specimen from her younger brother.

Considered an inspiration to the US in the fight against one of the most deadly diseases of the 21st century, Lukia’s family was hosted in the White House by President Barrack Obama.

According to the World Health Organisation, over 300, 000 babies are born with severe forms of sickle cell diseases every year, the majority in low and middle income countries. In Uganda it is estimated that 30,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease every year.

About 25% of Uganda’s 33 million population carry the sickle cell gene. The Batwa, an indigenous tribe in western Uganda, have the highest sickle cell prevalence rate in Uganda.

Capt Lukia, who is pursuing a doctorate degree in sickle cell management, decried the low knowledge about the disease in the country.

“Some mothers visit traditional healers and they are told to sacrifice animals, but sickle cell disease can be cured scientifically,” she said.

Lukia said during her free time, she teaches black African communities about the disease that affects 100,000 African – Americans out of the 47.8 million black American population in the US.

The Uganda -American Sickle Cell Rescue Fund, a local organisation she founded, is organising the first annual conference on sickle cell management in Uganda, scheduled for December  next year.

A nurse by profession, Lukia revealed her surprise during her interaction with medical students at Makerere University that none of them was studying blood disorders, yet it was a common problem today.