Students, Sickle Cell Warriors Call for Increased Screening During AIDO Awareness Campaign.
By Peterson Hiirya. Students, health advocates and leaders of Varum Sickle Cell Foundation have renewed calls for young people to know…
By Peterson Hiirya.
Students, health advocates and leaders of Varam Sickle Cell Foundation have renewed calls for young people to know their sickle cell status before marriage and parenthood, saying awareness and early screening remain key to reducing the burden of sickle cell disease in Uganda.
The appeal was made during the ongoing AIDO Network International Drug-Free World Campaign at several schools
One of the youngest speakers, Aido Martha, a pupil at Goshen Nursery and Primary School and a sickle cell counsellor with Varam Sickle Cell Foundation, shared her personal experience of discovering that she is a sickle cell carrier.
“I was tested at Varam Sickle Cell Foundation, and that is when I got to know I am a carrier. Before testing, I would never have known,” she told the congregation.
Martha said learning her status initially made her feel isolated, but counselling helped her regain confidence and understand that being a carrier does not define her.
She challenged young people to make informed choices by knowing their genotype before entering relationships, urging them to “break the cycle of sickle cell and empower lives.”
Addressing stakeholders, Akoni Claire, a 22-year-old student at Kyambogo University and a sickle cell advocate, encouraged fellow warriors to remain resilient despite the challenges associated with the condition.
Claire said many people living with sickle cell continue to face discrimination,particularly in schools and the job market, but urged them not to give up on their dreams.
“It starts with your mindset. I have decided to stand up and say no to sickle cell by creating awareness and encouraging others to know their genotype,” she said.
She also encouraged parents not to blame themselves for having children with sickle cell, noting that many families previously lacked access to adequate information about the disease.
The Executive Director of Varam Sickle Cell Foundation, Vicky Irebu, said the organisation has intensified free sickle cell screening, counselling, and health education across schools and communities in Serere and Soroti districts.
Irebu revealed that the foundation has so far screened more than 3,000 young people and community members, describing the partnership with AIDO Network International as an important step in combining drug abuse prevention with sickle cell awareness.
“Our services include free sickle cell screening, free counselling, and free health education. We encourage every young person to know their sickle cell status before making decisions about marriage and starting a family,” she said.
She also challenged development partners, government agencies, and community leaders to strengthen support for sickle cell awareness programmes, noting that misconceptions about the disease still exist in many communities.
Medical officials from Varam Sickle Cell Foundation reminded participants that sickle cell disease is inherited and can not be contracted through casual contact, urging the public to seek accurate information and undergo voluntary screening.
The awareness campaign forms part of ongoing community outreach efforts aimed at reducing drug abuse among young people while promoting informed reproductive health decisions to help prevent new cases of sickle cell disease.
