Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the serious genetic disorders and a significant public health concern in the country that continues to affect a large population.
In Migori, the existence of a sickle cell clinic in Rongo and the groundbreaking ceremony of a new hospital at Kehancha town, courtesy of Grace Mission of Compassion, a United States of America (USA) charity organisation, indicates how seriously the disease is affecting the Migori population.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), which affects the Red Blood Cells (RBC), usually takes on a sickle shape, causing them to get stuck in small blood vessels, leading to pain, infections, and organ damage.
The disease that in the recent past was equated to and associated with witchcraft, is slowly gaining recognition, and the fact that Migori County is partnering with a charity organisation to find solutions to help the Sickle Cell Patients (SCP) should be applauded.
For sickle cell patients, children and the youth are the most affected group, with their education and other co-curricular activities at times put on hold due to the pain they undergo when the disease kicks in.
For instance, Ms Stacy Rioba from Kuria West Sub-County has been battling SCD since she was young. But the fight and zeal in her and the support from her parents and caregiver, have all made her a sickle cell warrior.
A student at Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Counselling and Psychology, Rioba says that her journey has not been a walk in the park.
She says that her growing has undergone a lot of pain in life that has created a lot of mental and emotional trauma and, many a time forced her question her worth, her existence and her God.
Ms. Rioba elaborates that the disease is devastating, which makes a lot of patients question why they were born to suffer while others enjoyed their childhood dreams and youth.
“I have experienced constant cries during the nights and days at the hospitals that made me miss school and play, a devastating affair that every sickle cell patient undergoes,” she said.
She discloses that the disease brings a lot of pain to parents, caregivers, friends and even teachers who feel sympathy for the victims.
“Sickle cell makes everyone feel sorry for you, which makes us feel as if we are adding extra burden to people who surround us, adding emotional pain to ourselves. It is not a nice feeling at all to feel as if you have no worth” she explained.
Ms Rioba however applauds the efforts to construct a sickle cell hospital in the Kuria region, saying that the hospital would not only offer support and medication, but it would also bring hope to those affected by the disease.
According to her, the health institution is a God-sent gift to the local population as it would help address issues of Sickle cell Trait Screening, newborn screening for sickle cell disease and proper diagnosis.
She concludes that for Grace Mission of Compassion charity organisation to establish a hospital for sickle cell patients it means that at last their plea has been heard, their pain understood, and their hope realised.
On her part, 27-year-old Evy Oluoch from Wasio village in Suna East Sub County says she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was three years old. Oluoch says that as an SCP, the journey has not been easy for her, her caregivers and parents.
“I was out of school most of the time, but teachers helped me to focus on my education,” she said.
An alumnus of The Great Lakes University, Oluoch explained that it was difficult to see her parents struggle to pay her education fees, yet most of the time she was out of college.
But the assistance she got from friends and her parents kept her going in pursuit of her higher education and a better life.
“That the new hospital will put a smile on the sickle cell patients by providing support, healing and hope to the patients is a plus, and must be supported by all,” she remarked during a brief interview with her recently.
“SCP patients used to travel to Rongo clinic established by the Grace Mission of Compassion charity organisation in partnership with the county to get the services,” she added.
A small sickle cell clinic at Rongo that was opened in 2023 with the support of a charity organisation, Mama Agnes Ochilo Foundation and the county Government, started with 92 patients, but currently 362 sickle cell patients are getting assistance at the facility.
Three out of 10 residents of Migori have Sickle Cell Trait (SCT), a worrying trait and a justification for an urgent need for more sickle cell hospitals in the county.
According to Health Africa: A Review of Sickle Cell Disease in Kenya (2024), about 20,000 to 30,000 annual births are of babies with SCD.
The overall prevalence of SCD in the country is 0.9 percent, while that of SCT is estimated to be higher, with about 10- 40 percent of people living in malaria endemic regions being SCT carriers.
In the lake region, it is estimated that about 17 percent of children are carriers of the trait, with 0.6 percent having SCD.
However, according to the Chief Officer in Charge of Public Health and Sanitation Mrs. Marble Chanzu, the Migori County Referral Hospital (MCRH) will soon have a revolving funds for sickle cell to help ease the pain of patients in the county.
Chanzu explained during an interview with KNA that the county would continue to engage with advocacy groups and support networks in raising awareness about SCD to provide support to patients and families, and advocate for improved access to healthcare services and resources.
Dr. Duchess Joyce El from the Grace Mission of Compassion charity organisation affirms that the partnership with Migori County was historic in nature, meant to help the sickle cell patients, create sickle cell warriors in public education and offer dignity to sickle cell patients.
“Personally, I started the journey a decade ago to alleviate the pain of sickle cell anaemia patients when I saw their struggle as a medical doctor,” she said.
By Makokha Khaoya & George Agimba
