25,000 sicklers born annually

By Kikonyogo Ngatya OVER 25,000 children in Uganda are born with sickle cell disease every year, health officials disclosed on Monday.“It is sad that the majority of them die within the first year of life,” Dr Jacinto Amandua, the Commissioner for Clinical Services, said.He was speaking at the opening of the Sickle Cell exhibition at the British Council in Kampala.The exhibition is one of the week-long activities planned to create public awareness on the disease.Amandua attributed the deaths to lack of proper care at the grassroots for the sicklers within Uganda’s health delivery system. Experts want the care and sickle cell tests on pregnant mothers to be integrated within the antenatal services and the primary health care system. “If someone knows they have the disease it becomes easier to care for themselves,” he said.He added, “Most of the deaths can be avoided by simple interventions if the communities are sensitized.”Prof. Christopher Ndugwa, an expert on the disease said, “We are seeing an increment in the numbers. At least three new cases are diagnosed at Mulago Hospital sickle cell clinic weekly.” Mzee Bulasiyo, Uganda’s known longest living sickler attended.A new body, The Sickle Cell Association of Uganda (SUA) will be launched.the chairperson, Ruth Nabbanja, said the association would offer counselling and sensitisation to reduce the stigma among the sicklers. Uganda has one of the highest sickle cell prevalence rates in Africa although the exact numbers are not known.Sickle cell is an inherited disease that affects the red blood cells and causes painful episodes to the patients when affected cells disrupt the flow of blood. Prof. Graham Serjeant, an expert said many people are carriers.