‘90 years to eradicate SCD

Manama

Take a long breath. It might take 90 years for the country before it completely eradicates the Sickle Cell Disease, according to chairman Bahrain Sickle Cell Society Dr.Zakareya Alkhadem. 

The silver-lining in the issue, however, is that the number of newborn patients is drastically decreasing, according to him.

Meanwhile speaking to the media at the Sickle Cell Workshop held yesterday Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi said Bahrain was fully committed to implementing John Hopkins recommendations in the country’s battle against SCD.

“We will continue our strategy to reduce the number of deaths caused by SCD,” said the minister.

The new management in Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was very professional and that the ministry was fully satisfied with its performance, he added.

Dr.Zakareya, however, said they faced two major issues before the four-member-team from John Hopkins Clinic in Baltimore evaluated their method of treatment and gave them recommendations.

First, the patients were reluctant to take the drug because of its side effects. Second, there were only three physicians who could prescribe this drug, pointed out Dr.Zakareya. One recommendation was to increase Hydroxyurea drug’s use.

Dr Zakareya said they would create awareness among primary physicians and patients so that the physicians could recommend the drug and the patients could take it with confidence. 

There are almost five thousand registered SCD patients in Bahrain, but the exact number of patients is still not known. Last year 46 people had died of this disease.

Chief Resident Hematology and team leader for sickle cell disease, Dr Jaffer Al-Tooq, said workshop’s object was to provide better care. 

He said through this workshop, they would train Primary Care physicians so that the SCD patients would get treatment at the nearest health centre instead of rushing to SMC which is already crowded.