Businessmen contribute sh50m towards sickle cell fight

Kampala's top businessmen have contributed sh50m towards the fight against the sickle cell disease.

The money is to contribute towards sickle cell awareness, free mass testing and economic empowerment for impoverished sicklers.

The businessmen led by the proprietor of BMK Uganda Limited, Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige, converged for a dinner at the residence of Roofing's boss, Lalani Sikander and pledged support towards the fight against sickle cell diseases.

What was just a dinner organized to create sickle cell awareness turned into a fundraising drive with the businessmen in attendance giving what they could, to support the noble cause started by Kibirige.

some of the business moguls who made contributions at the dinner were members of the Kwagalana group led by Godfrey Kirumira, Kampala Casino proprietor, Bob Kabonero, City oil boss, Umar Mandela, Barbara Mulwana, daughter to the late James Mulwana, the proprietor of Mulwana Group of Companies and Mutyaba Abbas, owner of cheap hardware.

Banks such as DFCU, Citi bank and ECO Bank also contributed some money and pledged to continue with the support.

According to the Executive Director, Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation (USCRF), Sharif Tusubira, many sicklers in Uganda are stigmatized and do not have access to medical care.

"The dilemma of sicklers in Uganda goes beyond dealing with the overwhelming health effects of the disease. The deeply rooted stigma from society alone causes families to sometimes hide their sick for fear of being labeled cursed and avoided from social functions," he said.

While presenting a fact file on the sickle cells disease in Uganda, Tusuubira who is also a sickler said that 15,000 babies are born each year with sickle cell anemia and 80% of them die before they clock five years due to lack of early diagnosis and a rudimentary follow up. He said that the survivors die later in life due to poor management of the disease.

"6 to 12 people out of every 100 people living with the disease are affected by stroke and 4 to 6 out of the 100 develop a form of disability," he added.

He said that infants and children who are sicklers experience harmful infections such as stroke, malaria, blindness, pneumonia and numbness of the hip bone which usually leads to lameness.