MoH opens centre to fight sickle cell disease

A new clinic to deal with non-communicable diseases in the lake region has been launched in Vihiga county.

Health director general Dr Patrick Amoth on Monday launched the Vihiga Non-Communicate Diseases Clinic at Hamisi.

Sickle cell was identified as one of the NCDs accounting for at least 50 per cent of hospital admissions, 55 per cent of hospital deaths and 39 per cent of total deaths.

Counties to be served include host Vihiga, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nandi and Siaya counties and neighbouring devolved units. 

The new facility will provide comprehensive screening for sickle cell disease and facilitate referrals for diagnosis to guarantee patients timely and appropriate care.

It will offer diagnostics, treatment and management services at affordable costs.

The initiative is a collaborative venture between the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya (NCDA-K) and the Ministry of Health, who are jointly implementing the Package of Essential Non-Communicable Disease Interventions–Plus (PEN-Plus) project.

Other diseases under that category are hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell disease, rheumatic heart disease, severe asthma, and chronic obstructive and mental health disorders.

Amoth said treatment and management clinics for Non-Communicable Diseases would be set up in other counties with a high prevalence of sickle cell disease to curb the spread.

Amoth said the project would be timely in helping most patients who have had to travel long distances to seek treatment.

“Through this centre, we will detect NCDs like sickle cell disease by creating awareness to encourage our people to go for regular check-ups and testing so they can lead a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

Amoth said the National Health Insurance Fund will roll out a comprehensive care package for the illness.

He said Community Health Workers have been tasked with identifying sickle cell disease cases in villages and taking patients to the facility for treatment.

The country envisages eradicating sickle cell disease by 2030. A Policy on Infant Screening for Sickle Cell Disease 2023 was launched during the event.

The event marked the commemoration of this year’s World Sickle Cell Day.

There has been wide condemnation of inadequate investment towards NCDs prevention and control by the government and other actors in the health sector.

Western, Nyanza and Coast have been identified as regions with high sickle cell disease cases.

The PEN-Plus project is aimed at reducing by at least a third of cases of premature mortality caused by NCDs diseases by 2025.

"This will contribute to the overall enhanced care and support for those living with Sickle Cell Disease," Amoth said.

"I urge our people to register and contribute towards NHIF cover to help in the treatment cost of such diseases."

He said the project is being piloted in Vihiga and Isiolo, with beneficiary counties projected to receive well-equipped laboratories capable of detecting sickle cell disease and other NCDs.

Selected hospitals in the counties will be equipped with rapid kits like sickle scans, HemoType SC and haemoglobin electrophoresis machines to help detect sickle cell diseases early and have the patients referred for specialised management.

Governor Ottichilo said his administration would complement the Ministry of Health’s efforts to equip the selected facility and provide human resources at the new clinic.

"The facility is fully equipped, and the programme will second and train health personnel who will provide services to patients with related illnesses,” Ottichilo said.