Sickle cell - Uganda Multimedia News & Information

Experts advise sickle cell testing before marriage

Isaac Senabulya — Mon, 30 May 2016 06:52:17 +0000

Andreas Kuznik

Ugandans have been advised to go for Sickle cell screening before marriage to avoid the genetic condition of sickle cell. The Researcher attached to Uganda Infectious Disease Institute Andreas Kuznik spoke during the 6th international Symposium sickle cell disease in Africa held at Hotel Africana.

Kuznik says it’s very useful for people to know their status to avoid having children with sickle cell. He says the chances of having a child with sickle cell disease are very high if parents do not go for screening. He noted that children must be diagnosed at the early stage to reduce the deaths of children with sick cells.

According to Kunik there is a high mortality of sickle cell sickness in Uganda both among the adults and the children because screening is so far ongoing in only 14 districts of Uganda out of 112 districts. He says the government should prioritize the buying of more machines for screening sickle cell if the all the districts will be screened for the disease.

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Sickle cell disease rate increasing in country – Experts

Gerald Businge — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:41:01 +0000

Health experts and educationists in Uganda have raised serious concerns over the faster rate at which sickle cell disease is growing in the country but with great fear that little has been done by the ministry to have a lasting solution to the burden leaving 80% of the newborns dying before they make their fifth birthday.

Professor Christopher Nduguwa and Charles Kiyaga reveal that according to the simple nationwide survey carried out by the ministry with support from America in 2014, it was found out that Uganda gives birth to 15,000 to 20,000 kids with the sickle cells disease and this accounts for 47% of the disease burden in the whole country. They still reveal that Northern Uganda has the highest numbers followed by eastern Uganda and then central with the district of Kampala, Gulu, Namutumba, Iganga, Lira, Tororo, Jinja, Mayuge, Luuka, Apac, Buikwe, Masaka, Oyam, Soroti having the greatest numbers of the disease.

However, the experts are now calling for thorough study to have better data and set up health centers or units to handle the disease across the country since in rural areas its not noticed due to lack of better health facilities to diagnose the disease.

Prof. Ndugwa also down plays the myth that sicklers don’t live longer and he says that they do live longer just like other normal human beings but with maximum treatment adherence.

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Health officials concerned about sickle cell rise in Uganda

Gerald Businge — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 07:57:01 +0000

Health officials are worried that the sickle cell burden in Uganda is growing higher each day which is likely to affect the future generation. They say that every year over 20,000-25000 babies are born with sickle cell which is not compared to any other disease.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease from one’s parents especially when both parents have a gene for sickle cell the new born will automatically be a sickle cell carrier.

According to national program coordinator at Central Public Health Laboratory in Kampala Charles Kiyaga some areas which have more sickle cell cases are Lango, Acholi, and Busoga and Bugishu regions. In an interview with radio Simba, Kiyaga explains that the burden is high yet the population is not sensitized about the disease. On the same note Kiyaga tells us that ministry of health started newborn sickle cell screening especially in districts that have been realized to be at high risk.

Meanwhile Kiyaga is advising couples to go for sickle cell testing before they have the first baby

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