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Medical practitioners at the Panda Children’s Clinic launch in Jinja, Uganda, advocated for the need to prevent the spread of SCD by implementing mandatory testing, especially before marriage.

Medical practitioners have urged the Government to impose compulsory testing of sickle cell disease (SCD) among people.

They made the call during a children’s medical camp when launching Panda children’s clinic in Jinja on December 9, 2023.

The children’s clinic is said to offer a wide range of medical services with an emphasis on the sickle cell disease among children.

Dr. Kosmas Malinga, the director of Panda Children’s Clinic, stated that mandatory testing would help all medical professionals, including those in the health ministry, fight sickle cell disease (SCD).

“If we don’t take action, the disease will soon spread to the central region and is already widespread in the east, north, and west. Future generations will be shaped by the choices we make today, according to Malinga.

In order to avoid producing sicklers due to genetic problems, he emphasized the necessity for churches to only marry couples who show a complete sickle cell test from the hospital.

“One of the reasons SCD registers over 5,000 cases every year is because there is less sensitization in communities. So, one of the reasons we do these medical camps is to create awareness,” Malinga added.

Mandatory testing, in the opinion of pediatrician Dr. Sabrina Kitaka of Mulago Hospital in Kampala, can assist couples in making well-informed decisions regarding starting a family. She believes that this can lessen the high prevalence of sickle cell trait, which is found in all 112 districts as per a recent nationwide study.

“In order to better treat children, the government is increasing testing from birth; however, mandatory testing may lower the frequency. One in every four pregnancies has a chance of having sickle cell disease, according to Kitaka.

The children’s clinic was founded in an effort to improve the Busoga region’s healthcare system, which, according to head physician Fahad Muyumba, has been plagued by issues including inadequate supplies, infrastructure, and manpower.

“The clinic has a dedicated team of professionals, who are trained and experienced in handling, diagnosing, treating and preventing SCD and other pediatric issues,” Muyumba said.

To mark the launch of Panda Children’s Clinic, a children’s medical camp was organised, with emphasis on SCD where over 600 children and their parents attended the camp and received free sickle cell trait tests, as well as other tests for various conditions.

The medical camp was supported by the Dr Snyders Family in the USA, Modern Group Ltd, DAS Agro, GM Sugar Ltd, City Care Medical Centre, Mankind, and local pharmacies.

The launch of Panda Children’s Clinic was graced by several dignitaries including city mayor (northern division) Ashraf Nasser and the chief executive officer of Modern Group, Jagdish Srivastava who urged the community to scale up on testing and increase sensitisation about SCD and other diseases.

The executive director of the Sickle Cell Association Uganda, Ruth Nankanja Mukiibi, stated in November 2023 that although SCD is not well known, it has been present in people for a long time.

In order to combat SCD, she therefore called for applying the same awareness that has been applied to new pandemics like HIV and COVID-19.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects the shape (the appear like sickles) and function of red blood cells, causing them to block blood vessels and damage organs. SCD is prevalent in Busoga region, where it is estimated that about 5,000 children are born with the disease annually.

Uganda is a high sickle cell burdened country with a national sickle cell trait prevalence of 13.3% and sickle cell disease at 0.73%. The regions with the highest prevalence of the disease are eastern, northern and central.

It is estimated that 20,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease in Uganda each year, and approximately 15,000 of these babies die before the age of five.