Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder (IBD) that affects red blood cells; due to disorder in the gene responsible for the formation of hemoglobin, causing sticking to the walls of the small blood vessels, and thus reducing the flow of the blood and oxygen into the body organs. This leads to the appearance of many symptoms, most prominently acute anemia and pain, in addition to other complications, including dizziness, acute chest syndrome (ACS), heart failure, chronic renal failure, pulmonary hypertension, formation of gallstones, splenomegaly, immune deficiency, arthritis especially in the hip joint, stroke or hemiplegia, foot ulcers, and retinopathy, in addition to glands disorder and delayed puberty.
Statistics of sickle cell cases in the premarital screening report (1425-1436H):
| 161,194 cases |
| Infected |
Patient |
| 3,514,274 |
150,598 |
10,596 |
|---|
4.2% |
0.3% |
Approved date:
Locally: Ramadan 18th, 1437H
Globally: June 19th, 2016
Theme of the World Sickle Cell Day:
"Break the Sickle Cycle"
Targeted Groups:
- Sickle Cell patients and families.
- Those planning to get married.
- Those working in the health field, including physicians, nurses and health educators.
- Health decisions makers.
- Health organizations and bodies.
Main Health Messages:
- Enlightening the community and individuals that the Sickle Cell disease is a major health problem.
- Urging the health institutions to pay attention to the Sickle Cell disease through developing health programs at the national level and operating the specialized centers to facilitate the provision of treatment.
- Facilitating and supporting the access to the medical services for Sickle Cell patients.
- Boosting and supporting the researches aiming at improving the life quality of the Sickle Cell patients.
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