The theme for World Sickle Cell Day 2024 is “Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Globally.”
World Sickle Cell Day is observed annually on June 19, a day designated by the UN to raise awareness of sickle cell disease both domestically and globally.
This recognition stems from the need to increase information about this ailment. Millions of people worldwide are impacted by sickle cell disease, which is the most prevalent genetic blood ailment.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious public health issue in Kenya that significantly raises the morbidity and mortality rates of both adults and children.
Every year, over 14,000 children in Kenya are born with sickle cell disease (SCD), and 50 to 90% of them pass away before turning five if appropriate treatment is not received.
In order to lessen the impact of sickle cell disease (SCD) in Kenya and enhance patient access to high-quality care, the Ministry of Health launched the Afya Dhabiti Project in September 2023 in collaboration with Novartis, the Non-communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya (NCDAK), and Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH).
The ground-breaking programme seeks to improve the lives of those who have sickle cell disease (SCD) in Kenya by raising public awareness, educating the public, and advocating for 17 high-burden SCD counties.
Training, research, enhancing the skills of healthcare professionals, treatment accessibility and cost will be the main focuses of the three-year programme.
Kenyans have been urged to spread the word about this illness, particularly in light of the impending catastrophe of a budget cut of more than Sh11 billion, which has shocked the nation greatly.
The fact that the Ministry of Health will only get Sh127 billion for the 2024–25 fiscal year has caused considerable dissatisfaction and anxiety.
Arnold Osano, the leader of Nguvu Change, wants to bring Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and its associated health crises to the government’s notice in Kenya.
He made it clear that attempts to improve the healthcare system and fight SCD will be further hampered by the smaller funding.
Health advocates and the general public are concerned about the budget cut because they believe that the less money will make already-existing problems in the healthcare system worse and impede efforts to address important health issues like sickle cell disease.
