The State Minister of Health for General Duties Sarah Opendi has warned adults with the sickle cell disease not to give birth to children since this is leading to the increase of the disease especially in the Buganda region.
Ms. Opendi says only 20% of the children born with the disease live beyond 5 years and the disease has also become a burden to the country.
She advised that couples intending to have children should go for screening inorder to avoid giving birth to children with the disease because it is generic.
Last August, Dr Ben Kiwanuka Mukwaya, the Buganda Kingdom health minister, said the public has limited information about sickle cell disease.
“Starting next year, the Kabaka run will focus on sickle cell disease where we shall have a kit of information distributed to the participants,” Dr Mukwaya said.
The history of sickle cell disease in Buganda Kingdom dates back to the period of King Ssemakokiro’s reign (1797-1814). During a power conflict which brought Ssemakokiro to the throne, his brother Jjunju was killed by one Kisonso Mpagwa, who misinterpreted his order meant to save Jjunju from death.
About Sickle Cell disease
Sickle cell disease is a serious blood disorder inherited from both parents who have a trait. In Uganda, between 50 and 70 per cent of children born with the disease die before celebrating their 5th birthday. The disease prevalence in the country stands at 13.3 per cent. About 300,000 children are born with the sickle cell trait in sub-Saharan Africa.
