Exactly two fridays ago, the world celebrated Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA).
It is an hereditary blood disorder in which the normal spherical red cells in the blood are turned sickle-shaped(or crescent) in the presence of some untoward factors,thereby,limiting their mobility as well as ability to transport oxygen through blood vessels to different body organs and also reduced blood level (anaemia) with its attendant effects.
SCA occurs when a person inherits two abnormal copies of the haemoglobin gene, one from each parent(Hb SS). A person with a single abnormal copy does not experience symptoms and is said to have sickle cell trait. Such people are referred to as carriers.
SCA is predominant in the tropical regions of sub-saharan Africa, Middle East, Miditerranean, India. The disease is responsible for sizeable proportion of morbidity and mortality from infancy to adolescence.
The afore-mentioned untoward factors include dehydration, infection, acidosis, hypoxia (reduced oxygen level) which cause sickling, culminating in the popular “sickle-cell crises”.
Earliest symptoms in a child occur at the age of six months (because a different haemoglobin type from fetal life had predominated before) with swollen hands/wrists, pale look, persistent cries(indicating pain), fever etc.
Tit-bits to living a relatively reduced crisis life are regular water intake, avoiding infections(bacterial or malaria), ensuring regular warm ambience, daily use of folic acid and proguanil.
Cure is only by bone marrow transplant, practised only in climes with well-developed healthcare system. However,it can be palliatively managed to stem the frequency of crisis in an individual.
Lastly, best way to curb SCA increase is for individuals in relationships to seek genetic counselling which will deter carriers to end up as couples that will bring forth SCA offsprings. Be sickle-cell conscious!

DR KUNLE SHOKUNBI

http://www.dammydudu.com/2015/07/sickle-cell-awareness-in-celebration-of-the-world-sickle-cell-anaemia-day-june-19/