Bungoma sickle cell patients struggle as doctors strike persists

As doctors’ strike stretches into its 44th day, sickle cell patients in high burden counties are grappling with limited access to health care services, both in private and public facilities

In private hospitals, sickle cell patients are encountering significant financial challenges as they cannot afford the high costs.

In Bungoma county, Absolom Simiyu, 26, a sickle cell warrior, says that for the last 41 days, sickle cell patients have faced it rough to access services due to the nationwide doctors’ strike that has paralysed services.

“The doctors’ strike has hurt all operations in the public facility leaving us in dilemma, most of the time when a sickle cell patient gets into a crisis without getting immediate medical attention is very painful and that is why I implore the government to settle with the striking doctors so that people can get services as usual,” he urged.

He, however, noted that despite Bungoma county government launching a haemophilia and sickle cells clinic that runs from Monday to Friday, persons living with sickle cell are still suffering due to the prolonged doctors’ strike.

“They commissioned for us a sickle cell clinic here in Bungoma but the strike has affected services,” Simiyu said, adding that even if the doctors resume there are no drugs for the sickle cell patients.

Simiyu called on the government to stock the health facilities with sickle cell medicines to ensure patients access the medication.

“You find that sickle cell is a condition that people live with throughout their life therefore they need medication all through,” he said.

He said seeking medication especially during a crisis time is very expensive saying he spends Sh200 to purchase Hydroxurea, paludrine and folic acid daily.

Mediatrix Otisa, 21, warrior, told the star that last week, she had a painful crisis but upon visiting health facility for the services, she found the doors closed, adding that she opted to visit a private facility for the services.

“While at the private facility she couldn’t be attended to fast because of the National Health Insurance Fund card approval that takes time,” she said.

She called on the government and the doctors’ unions to agree and end the strike.

Otisa said during the NHIF transition to Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) the government should make sure it caters for the whole medication for the sickle cell warriors.

“Our medication are very expensive and some facilities do not accept NHIF cards to cater for payment, therefore it will be wise if during transition from NHIF to SHIF  they make it cater for all medications for the sickle cell warriors,” she said.

Non- Communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya  programmes officer Jared Owuor said the organisation is currently running a three- year programme on sickle cell disease and other non-communicable diseases where persons living with sickle cell disease can be trained and be given an opportunity to speak out the challenges they face.

He said the programme is also running in other 12 high burden sickle cells counties.

He said the main aim of initiating the project in the high burden sickle cell regions is to find best ways of reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases.

“Right now non-communicable diseases account for almost 50 per cent of all hospital admissions,” he said.

Dr Dickens Lubanga a paediatrician at Bungoma County Referral hospital said this will help reduce the number of sicklers being born.

According to Dr Lubanga, sickle cell disease occurs when a child inherits a defect gene from both parents causing the patient's red blood cells to be sickle shaped hence making it an inherited disease.

Lubanga said when one inherits a defect gene from one parent they are healthy and said to be ‘carriers’ of the disease.

“It is therefore important for couples to go and get tested if they have sickle cell trait before planning for a family,” Lubanga said.

However, Lubanga said the number of sickle cell patients visiting the clinic has gone up over the years, “If people took this sickle cell test seriously then the number of children with the disease will go down.”

“I see over 1,000 patients in a week, which is an alarming number. This prompted the clinics to be done daily to reduce congestions,” he said.

Sickle cell disease has proven to be one of the most expensive diseases to treat and manage.

“This menace can only be handled if we have national conversations on how counties and national governments can work towards supporting sickle cell testing and treatment,” Lubanga said.

The expert called on people from both the Western and Nyanza regions to intermarry with people from Rift Valley and central regions.

“Rift Valley and central regions have less sickle cell disease cases,” he said.