As Webuye County hospital joins the World in marking the International Day for sickle cell, parents have been urged to take their children for screening so if found with it can be begin early treatment and live like any other normal person.
Addressing the media at the hospital ground, Dr. Millicent Wanyama who is a doctor in charge of children at Webuye County hospital said more than three hundred children in the world are born with sickle cell but because of new technology in health sector most can live beyond their fifth birthday unlike in the past when none could manage to live beyond five years.
“More than three hundred children in the world are born with sickle cell and Africa is the most affected continent and in Kenya, research has shown that Western Kenya and Nyanza are the most affected regions in terms of sickle cell but we thank God that this days if it’s detected on time through screening then they can get medication and if followed to the latter the child can grow up and live like any other person and that’s why we are urging parents to make sure that they visit medical facility and have their children screened, ” said Dr. Wanyama.
She added that Webuye County hospital has been doing sickle cell screening since Thursday and will continue to do the services for free to help the community so that together can help patients and make sure that they live their life to the fullest.
“In Webuye hospital under the great stewardship of our medical superintendent Dr. Simon Kisaka we are doing our part by providing screening and parents should come out with their children and do screening and I also appeal to the parents and caretakers to kindly take good care of the sickle cell patients well and help them to take medication as described by doctors and timely,” she added
She appreciated the good work being done by medical experts at the facility for having supported patients who have gained control of their normal life.
However, an appeal has been made to the government in conjunction with facility to employ community health workers who will be making daily follow up of the sickle cell patients because some don’t follow up the medication as described by the medics and makes it hard for them to curb the disease which makes patients weaker if they cannot follow the medical report well.
The sickle cell champions who talked to media requested parents to be vigilant to patients because they are weak and need their attention so much for them to be in a position to tackle the disease well.