The Sarafinah Sickle Cell Society (SASCELLS) has donated medicine worth Shillings 28,800,000 to the Sickle Cell Clinic at Mukono General Hospital.
With support from Sickle Forward and My Three Sicklers (MTS), both based in the United States, SASCELLS donated 15 boxes containing 900 doses of Hydroxyurea, a medication that increases fetal hemoglobin production, thereby reducing pain crises and complications.
Dr. Wyclif Kisinga, the Head of Mukono General Hospital’s Sickle Cell Clinic, said the donation was timely because the facility had been out of stock of hydroxyurea for three months.
The clinic has grown from fewer than 100 clients six years ago to 800 patients, with 293 currently using hydroxyurea.
Hydroxyurea has proven effective in reducing hospitalizations, blood transfusions, and episodes of acute chest syndrome in patients with sickle cell disease, according to Dr. Kisinga.
He noted that shortages of hydroxyurea have caused strokes among patients and that the facility lacks essential support equipment, such as wheelchairs and crutches.
Isaac Kabunga, an advocate and IT administrator at SASCELLS, emphasized the society’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals with sickle cell disease.
“The donated medicine will alleviate suffering by reducing pain crises,” he said. Kabunga led the delegation to Mukono General Hospital.
SASCELLS also organized a free sickle cell screening and blood donation camp, where 96 people were screened and 64 units of blood were collected.
Clients and caregivers at the clinic thanked SASCELLS’ CEO, Sarafinah Bukirwa, and her team for their support.
Jane Namusobya, a single mother with a seven-year-old sickle cell patient, expressed relief at the donation, highlighting the financial burden of accessing the medication.
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