State to improve screening of Sickle cell condition

The government plans to establish mechanisms aimed at assisting in the early screening for Sickle cell disease, diagnosis and treatment in the country.

Already drug provisions to hospitals to cater for people suffering from the disease have been upscaled.

This is to enhance efficiency in the treatment of the disease, the government said Wednesday.

Even with the ongoing efforts, more families are reporting infections said Dr Elizabeth Onyango, said a senior Ministry of Health official from the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

"Beyond Kisii, Western and Coast, regions that have reported a significant surge in infections, more other areas initially not captured are reporting worrisome trend which we are looking at as well," she told journalists in Kisii, the focus of a global effort to sensitive Kenyans about the disease.

Kisii alone has registered 215 people with the condition according to County health executive Ronald Nyakweba.

Onyango spoke of the need for people with the condition to be tested before setting down in marriage.

"Sickle Cell is no longer a death sentence, with drugs, people with the disease have been shown to live for long enough just like any other normal people," she stated.

Dr Onyango was speaking during the World Sickle Cell Disease Day celebration at Kisii National Polytechnic.

Kenya registers an annual burden of 14,000 children born with the condition.

The government has since partnered with the Kenya Hemophilia Association, Kenya Sickle Cell Federation, NCDs alliance and counties and Ampath-Kenya to help in filling the gaps in the treatment of the disease.

Efforts are also being taken to train healthcare providers and skill them to provide the critical care required by those with the condition.

Consequently, children with the disease early are to be put on treatment, Onyango said.

“We want the premarital counseling to ensure couples who are carriers may make decisions on what they are getting into but the ultimate goal is to reduce the number of children who are born with sickle cell” Dr Onyango said.

Catherine Karekezi Executive Director of NCDs Alliance, an umbrella body of NCDs said sickle cell said there are a lot of misconceptions on how the disease is transmitted.

She said some pockets of the society still believe the disease was a work of superstition.

She said the cost of drugs needed by people with Sickle cell was still prohibitive.

"If we are to address it then we must address the cost of drugs as well," said Karekezi.

At least 17 counties are experiencing a surge in infections. Kisii County Health Executive Committee member, Ronald Nyakweba assured those affected with sickle cell disease that they will get the best health care from specialists to handle the disease.

“ I urge residents to ensure that those with the disease are taken to hospital, diagnosed early and treated,” Nyakweba said.

Samwel Misian, Ampath Advocacy relations consultant, challenged Kenyans not to discriminate against people with cell sickle disease.

He urged Kenyans not to link the disease with witchcraft.