Overview:
World Sickle Cell Anemia Day is celebrated on June 19 every year, and sickle cell anemia is defined as a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Healthy red blood cells are round and move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen throughout the body. But in a person with sickle cell anemia, red blood cells become hard and sticky, and look like a C shape. Sickle cells die early, and this leads to a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they move through small blood vessels, they get stuck and block blood flow. This leads to pain and other serious problems such as: infection, acute chest syndrome, and stroke.
Symptoms of sickle cell anemia:
- Episodes of pain.
- Swelling in the hands and feet.
- The susceptibility to infection again and again.
- Delayed growth or puberty.
- Vision problems
Objectives:
- Awareness of sickle cell disease.
- Support for people with sickle cell anemia.
facts:
- This disease affects millions of people around the world.
- This disease is particularly common among those from Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.
- Sickle cell anemia is a major public health concern. From 1989 to 1993, an average of 75,000 hospitalizations occurred. sickle cell disease in the United States, at a cost of approximately $475 million.
Official Date
Globally: June 19th, 2023
Locally: Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1st, 1444H