Kisumu the ‘epicentre’ of sickle cell

Sickle cell cardiovascular heart blood circulation [Courtesy]

Sickle cell anaemia patients in Luo Nyanza will soon access specialised care from Nyanza’s largest referral hospital Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOORTH) which plans to install a multimillion shillings machine to detect and manage the disease in the next six months.

Through a partnership with the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the hospital will be equipped with diagnostic equipment, expertise, training and research to address the burden of the disease in the region where 20 and 30 per cent of the people have sickle cell trait, three per cent of them new cases, according to records at JOORTH.