By Isatou Fofana
Sickle cell anemia is one of a group of inherited disorders known as sickle cell disease. It affects the shape of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
Red blood cells are usually round and flexible, so they move easily through blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, some red blood cells are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These sickle cells also become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow.
Dr Jatta, a gynecologist at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) explained that people with sickle cell anemia inherit the disease; “which means that the disease is passed on to them by their parents as part of their genetic makeup”. He pointed out that parents cannot give sickle cell anemia to their children unless they both have the faulty hemoglobin in their red blood cells.
He lamented the fact that there there is no known cure for the disease, that treatments can relieve pain and help prevent complications associated with the disease.
Dr Jatta went on to debunk the myth by some physicians, who he said believe that patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are more likely to become addicted to medication than other patients. He noted that attitudes toward addiction and to patients in pain crises may result in under treatment of pain.
“This indicates that physicians might benefit from additional education regarding sickle cell disease”.
Khaddijah Keita, a sickle cell patient and the vice president of the Sickle Cell Association of The Gambia, said that the disease affects her life in general but it does so badly emotionally because it determines everything she does or wants to do.
“It affects me emotionally because I feel like am a burden to my family and friends. Sometimes I feel like I bother them a lot by making them worry when I’m sick and they had to do so many sacrifices when it comes to my well-being. At times I feel bad thinking that am too dependent on them even though they never complain about it.”
She went on: “I always say sickle cell patients don’t need sympathy but rather they need empathy by putting yourself in their shoes and understand their condition.”
Ms Keita therefore called on government to provide proper health care system; especially for complicated diseases such as SCD.
On the role of their organisation, the vice president said the association raises awareness about sickle cell disease, as well as advocates for the wellbeing of sickle cell patients in The Gambia.
She reported that about 80% of Gambians know about sickle cell disease through the activities of the association.
“We educate our members specially the care givers who are mothers or fathers or family to sickle cell patients on the little things we believe can help reduce painful crisis through our experience in living with sickle cell disease. We also share ideas on how to manage pain crisis and how to avoid sickle cell disease complications”.
Further on the efforts of the association, Ms Keita revealed that they recently brought in Novartis, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world that produces hydroxyurea, to see if they can have a branch in The Gambia that will be producing medicines in the country.
She called on government to support the association and work with it in addressing their pain crisis.
“There is a need to do more for sickle cell patients when it comes to treatment in The Gambia. Most of the nurses and doctors out there know very little about sickle cell disease,” she said, emphasizing the need for more sickle cell specialists and a sickle cell centre for proper assessment and treatment.
“We only have one hematologist in The Gambia and it’s impossible for him to take care of all the Sickle cell patients in The Gambia”, she said.