Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi states that the government of Kenya has intensified efforts to tackle the challenge of sickle cell disease, especially among children.
He mentioned that initiatives are underway to enhance newborn screening programmes across all counties.
“The country has made significant strides by incorporating sickle cell disease into its National Health Policies, marked by the launch of the National Sickle Cell Disease Guidelines in 2018,” he said.
Mudavadi, who joined the Yunigen Inc. and West Virginia University community in Morgantown, USA, for the launch of Scedamin—the first paediatric formulation of hydroxyurea developed by Yunigen for the treatment of sickle cell disease, described the condition as a pressing public health challenge, particularly in Africa, where the burden is greatest.
“Each year, of the 300,000 to 500,000 children born with sickle cell disease, over 250,000 are in sub-Saharan Africa. Sadly, the mortality rate among these children is alarmingly high, with 50-90% not surviving past the age of five, making the disease an invisible yet devastating health crisis in the region,” he said.
Mudavadi, who is also the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, emphasised the need for continued support from the international community to strengthen efforts against the disease and improve the lives of children affected by sickle cell disease.
