Kenya has announced the introduction of a new initiative aimed at bolstering the fight against Sickle Cell Disease, a medical condition that affects thousands of families across the country.
On Friday, Mary Muthoni Muriuki, the country’s Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, announced the SCD KE TAN Project, an initiative that falls under the banner “Fight Against Sickle Cell.” The initiative, which marks the partnership between Kenya and France, has been made possible with the support of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Fondation Pierre Fabre.
During the announcement, the PS emphasized the role that awareness and early diagnosis, especially for newborn babies, play in the fight against Sickle Cell Disease. She pointed out the problems that patients face, especially because of the delayed diagnosis.
“We want people to know their genotype and seek medical care promptly, as it can save lives and prevent complications.”
Sickle Cell Disease, which affects thousands of families in the western region and the coastal region, is a lifelong blood disorder that causes patients to suffer from serious health conditions, especially if they are not properly managed.
The French delegation that visited the country for the announcement event consisted of Éléonore Caroit, the French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships; Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya; and Béatrice Garrette, the Executive Director of Fondation Pierre Fabre.
With the introduction of this new partnership between Kenya and France, the relationship between the two countries is set to grow, with patients set to enjoy medical services not just in Kenya, but in the region at large.
For parents who have been struggling with the Sickle Cell Disease that affects their children, the introduction of the SCD KE TAN Project means that better days are ahead, with the medical officials having made it clear that the main goal is to ease the burden that Sickle Cell Disease places on the children and make their future brighter.
