Kisumu County is set to host the first-ever International Sickle cell and Haemophilia summit on September 12-16 to forge resolutions regarding the genetic disease.
The inaugural Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) summit in the country will be sponsored by the Kisumu County Government, Novartis Kenya, and the Sickle Cell Federation of Kenya.
It will offer the health practitioners and patients a platform to learn and share experiences on the new developments and milestones in the scientific and clinical aspects of the scourge.
World Health Organization projects that 6,000 children are born with SCD annually in Kenya and Kisumu County is the epicenter of SCD with 21 out of 100 children born with Sickle cell trait.
So far, the lakeside county has established elaborate measures to manage the high burden of the condition in the region by unveiling a sickle cell infant screening and management care center and construction of a comprehensive sickle cell treatment center at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) among other interventions.
The County Health Executive Dr. Gregory Ganda says the convention is timely as it would enable various stakeholders to explore homegrown solutions toward achieving sustainable care for SCD patients in the region.
During the event, participants will undergo intensified psychological and social support to strengthen the links between communities affected by SCD.
Also, participants are expected to witness high-level scientific workshops, state-of-the-art presentations from experts, and patient testimonies that are planned to feature during the week-long event.
The summit will bring together sickle cell disease researchers, health practitioners, health care providers, patients and advocates from across the globe.
By Robert Ojwang’
