“Living with Sickle Cell Anemia”
Introduction:
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia — a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body. That is caused by a disorder in the genes responsible for forming hemoglobin. Normally, your red blood cells are flexible and round, moving easily through your blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregularly shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.
Domestic Statistics:
Sickle cell anemia is one of the diseases covered by the Health Marriage Program, basically meant to early detect diseases and provide the necessary consultation. From 1/1/1425H (corresponding to 21/2/2004), till the end of 1433H, the number of those who have undergone examination has mounted to 2.539.485, out of whom 4.3% were found carriers of the sickle cell anemia, whereas 0.3% of them were actually affected by the disease.
Internationally approved date: 19 June, 2013
Locally approved date: 10 Shaaban, 1434H
Theme of the World Sickle Cell Day:
“Living with Sickle Cell Anemia”
Targeted Groups:
- Sickle cell patients and their families.
- Those bound to marry.
- Health workers (physicians, nurses and health educationists).
- Health decision makers.
- Health organizations and associations.
Main Health Messages:
- Enhancing societal awareness of the global burden of sickle cell anemia.
- Promoting equity in accessibility to health services by patients with sickle cell anemia.
- Providing technical support for countries, with the purpose of prevention of sickle cell anemia, and providing the proper treatment.
- Enhancing and promoting the scientific research targeting improving the quality of life of sickle cell patients.
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