This archive report was first published on 4 January 2022.
Published on January 4, 2022, a report by Taifa Leo highlighted the growing concern of sickle cell disease in western Kenya.
Sickle Cell Disease: A Growing Concern in Western Kenya ¶
The disease is caused by a genetic disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, leading to abnormal red blood cells that can cause severe pain and other complications.
According to the Ministry of Health, approximately 18% of children in the Nyanza and Western regions are born with sickle cell trait, which increases their risk of developing the disease.
Of those born with the trait, 4.5% will develop the full-blown disease, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.
What's alarming is that many parents are unaware of the risk and fail to seek medical attention for their children, leading to a high mortality rate among those affected.
According to the Ministry of Health, approximately 6,000 children are born with sickle cell disease every year in Kenya, with a mortality rate of between 50% and 80% before the age of five.
