Kisii: Sickle Cell Anaemia Day Celebrations in Kisii 

Kisii County Ministry of Health officials led a march from Kisii Teaching and Referral hospital to Kisii National Polytechnic to celebrate world sickle cell anaemia day. 

Kisii youths thronged Kisii town in their thousands to march from KTRH to Kisii National Polytechnic dressed in maroon regalia to commemorate the day.

Kisii county Director of non-communicable diseases said that the march was meant to sensitize people on the effects of the disease, especially on stigmatization of victims of the disease.

“In terms of the challenges that we face specifically is the lack of awareness in the community, because people do not understand what sickle cell anaemia is and there is a lot of misconceptions about the disease,” she said.

The event was hosted at Kisii National Polytechnic and was bent on informing and sensitizing the people in Kisii especially those who associate sickle cell anaemia with witchcraft and as a curse.

Kisii county Ministry of Health launched a sickle cell testing and treatment program at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital 4 months ago. The Kisii county Director for non-communicable diseases said that the program has been successful as they have helped over 100 kids suffering from the disease.

There was pomp and colour at the event as thousands of people in Kisii had a chance to offer donations to help people with sickle cell anaemia. The event was graced by top ranking county officials and other stakeholders in the health industry in Kisii.