To address the high prevalence of the disease in the area, the Kisumu County Government has established a Newborn Sickle Cell Screening Centre at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
Dr Mercy Mwangangi, Chief Administrative Secretary Ministry of Health (MOH), officiated over the project’s launch, which is a collaboration between the County Government and Novartis East Africa.
The purpose of this project is to screen neonates for sickle cell anaemia and other blood diseases so that they can be diagnosed and treated early.
According to Dr Mwangangi, data and information are critical in dealing with sickle cell disease, hence the Ministry of Health is looking at establishing a Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) register and an electronic medical health record system.
She stated that the information would enable the ministry in accounting for and allocate funding for sickle cell disease care and treatment.
*This article was written by Marion Munywoki for Uzalendo News. Email: uzalendonews24@gmail.com to submit your story.
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