SINCE 2008, World Sickle Cell Awareness Day has been held annually, in order to help increase awareness, abolish myths and emphasise the importance of early detection.
June 19 was selected as the day of commemoration as it is also the day on which the General Assembly of the United Nations officially recognised the disease as a public health concern.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects millions of people around the world, including adults and children. According to the World Health Organisation, SCD is a genetic blood disorder that affects the haemoglobin in the body’s red blood cells. People who suffer from this disease can may develop ‘pain attacks’, anemia, bacterial infections or strokes.
The potentially fatal disease can cause severe pain, which affects the patients’ quality of life. It can have an impact on a person’s education, employment and social development.
Currently there is no cure for the genetic disorder, however treatment is available to alleviate the pain and other complications caused by the disease.
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