By Asmau Ahmad
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that nearly 1000 children are born daily with sickle cell disease in Africa.
The WHO said more than half of these babies will die before they reach the age of five, usually as a result of infection or severe anaemia.
The global health agency regional office for Africa stated this on Tuesday in a statement made available on its official website.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that shortens the survival of red blood cells, leading to sickle cell anaemia.
Poor blood oxygen levels and blood vessel blockages in individuals with sickle cell disease can result in excruciating pain in the back, chest, hands, and feet as well as severe bacterial infections.
According to the WHO, sickle cell disease is one of the most common illnesses in the region that receives insufficient attention, adding that more than 66 per cent of the 120 million individuals affected worldwide by the disease live in Africa.
The global health agency further stated that many public health facilities across the region lack the services for prevention, early detection, and care for sickle cell disease.
To keep the toll of sickle cell disease under control, African health ministers came together to launch a campaign aimed at increasing awareness and strengthening the prevention and care of the disease.
The campaign, the WHO said, was launched on Tuesday during the Seventy-second World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said, “Most African countries do not have the necessary resources to provide comprehensive care for people with sickle cell disease despite the availability of proven cost-effective interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, and management of this condition.
“We need to shine the spotlight on this disease and help improve the quality of life of those living with it.”
In 2019, 38,403 deaths from sickle cell disease were recorded in the African region and there was a 26 per cent increase from the year 2000.
The WHO said the burden of sickle cell arises from low investment in the efforts to combat the disease.
The UN health agency further added saying, “The campaign launched aims to shore up political will and engagement as well as financial resources for sickle cell disease prevention and control across the region.
“It also seeks to raise public awareness of the disease in schools, communities, health institutions and the media and advocate stronger health systems to ensure quality and uninterrupted services and equitable access to medicines and innovative tools.”
“Beyond its public health impact, sickle cell disease also poses numerous economic and social costs for those affected and their families and can interfere with many aspects of patient’s lives, including education, employment, mental and social well-being, and development,” it said.
“We can no longer ignore the significant burden caused by sickle cell disease. We must do more to improve access to treatment and care, including counselling and new-born screening by ensuring that programmes are decentralised and integrated with services delivered to communities and at the primary health care level,” Dr. Moeti said
Moeti further stressed the need for greater investment, stronger collaboration, and partnerships to help in stopping the increase of rising cases of sickle cell disease in Africa.
The new campaign is being supported by partners including the World Bank, the United States Department of Human and Health Services, Novartis Foundation, Global Blood Therapeutics, and Sickle in Africa.
