The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has launched the first-ever treatment guidelines for sickle cell disease to standardize the kind of care health workers give patients at specific points of care.
Launched at an event to mark the International Sickle Cell day on Friday afternoon, Dr Robert Opoka, a paediatrician and senior lecturer at Makerere University said the guidelines mark a new dawn in care as treatment for sickle cell has been erratic with no uniformity but rather depending on individual assessment of health workers.
The launch took place at the National Public Health Laboratories in Butabika.
Until recently, people battling the painful genetic disorder have been getting supportive care whereby they are given pain killers to ease pain, antibiotics for infections and anti-malarial drugs for malaria.
But now, Dr Gerald Mutungi, the Acting Commissioner for Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health says they have a comprehensive document that lists what medicines health workers can use in what intervals in addition to at what point one should refer the patient to a higher facility.
In addition to the guidelines, the Ministry of Health Mutungi revealed it is in final stages of putting fairly new sickle cell drug hydroxyurea which is also used in cancer treatment on the list of essential medicines indicated for patients living with sickle cell.
Currently, this drug can only be accessed by those that are able to pay as each pill goes for about Shs. 1500, some patients depending on their level of crisis requires up to three drugs each day.
Alfred Wabulembo, the Country Representative for Novartis, a Swiss pharmaceutical company that got the drug registered among those to treat sickle cell disease said they struck a deal with the Ministry to avail the drug at a subsidized fee and also print treatment guidelines for all health facilities across the country.
He told URN that even before the Ministry finishes the process of putting it on the essential medicines list, those buying it privately will pay a lower price than the current range of Shs 1500 per tablet.
In addition to the drugs, he said their partnership with the Ministry also involves diagnosis to ensure that more people test to know their status in addition to creating awareness in communities to embrace screening interventions.
In Uganda, it is estimated that about 20,000 babies are born with sickle cell every year but 80 percent of them never live to see their 5th birthday. Also, about 11,000 children under 5 years die as a result of the sickle cell every year. This translates to between 30 babies dying every day as a result of the disease.
This statistic experts say can only be reversed if carriers of the disease don’t marry each other something they will establish with screening. Treatments like hydroxyurea will only offer a better standard of living for a sickler but not complete cure.
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This drug is a big game changer in the management of sickle cell disease. i stand has a testimony for using this drug for my pediatric patients when i was still working at lacor hospital ,gulu pediatric department as a clinician.this drug gives patients tremendous outcomes and an improved quality of life,reduced admissions due to vaso-occlusive crisis ,reduced blood transfusions in a year,reduced risk of stroke in sickle disease patients. The cost of taking care of sicklers is greatly reduced on the burden these parents already have. Am humbled and honored to congratulate the ministry of health for this tremendous achievement. ###hydroxyurea a game changer##
Hello please me, having battling serious pain since 2015 when i was at campus doing tests that were always negative. it was not until this year when one of the Nurses from Kyambogo suggested that i do sickle cell that i really did and it came out positive. I really you people to help me because have moved looking for where i can do the HB ELECTROPYLORSIS that will determine how i got the disease and the kind of treatment i need. This thing has really tortured me, with a lot of pain in the joints, low appetite some times, pale/dry skin etc.
0783311886/0750437581 are my contacts thanks.
Hello please help me, have been battling serious pain since 2015 when i was at campus doing tests that were always negative. It was not until this year when one of the Nurses from Kyambogo University suggested that i do Hb Electroplorsis or sickle cells test that i really did and it came out positive. I really you people to help me because have moved looking for where i can do the HB ELECTROPYLORSIS test that will determine how i got the disease and the kind of treatment i need. This thing has really tortured me, with a lot of pain in the joints, low appetite some times, pale/dry skin etc.
0783311886/0750437581 are my contacts thanks.