Establishing care for sickle cell disease in western Kenya:achievements and challenges

摘要

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hemoglobinopathy encountered in Kenya.In the western part of the country, about 4.5% of children are born with SCD, and18% of children are born with sickle cell trait. SCD has contributed significantlyto the mortality rate in children younger than age 5 years, primarily because oflate diagnosis, educational gaps among service providers, and lack of access toappropriate treatment. Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) ispart of a collaboration between Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Moi University,and Indiana University (including the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center). MoiTeaching and Referral Hospital, which operates primarily in the western part ofKenya, has been at the forefront of solving the problem of SCD by partnering withlocal authorities to help improve comprehensive care for patients with SCD.