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World Sickle Cell Day – June 19th (Worldwide)
June 1 - June 19
WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY
According to the statistics, it has been noted that more than 1000 babies are giving birth every day, having Sickle Cell Disease in Africa and dying up to five years of age. More than 90,000 to 100,000 people are affected by this disease in the United States. However, people in other countries are also affected, like India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Arabic peninsula, Brazil, Surinam, Guiana, Southern Italy, Greece etc. It is a big public health issue worldwide, which is a must to take under control to save our healthy nation’s future.
This genetic health problem has affected people globally, due to which the risk of premature child death has increased. It needs effective control with the strategy of early detection, public awareness and effective partner shipping of the countries.
WHAT IS SICKLE CELL DISEASE
It is an inheritable, genetic, and fatal disease causing red blood cell disorders, which has been classified as sickle cell anemia and may lead to death. It is the most common public health problem in the African and Asian countries of the world.
Sickle cell anemia means a person suffering from anemia due to abnormally shaped red blood cells that get stuck in their small blood vessels and cause blockage in the continuation of the blood flow in the blood vessels. Whole body organs cannot get proper oxygen, which leads to common health problems like severe pain, organ damage or failure, severe infections, stroke, headache, liver problems, heart problems, and so on.
WHY IS WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY CELEBRATED
World sickle cell day is celebrated every year on the 19th of June all around the world to raise public awareness about this fatal disease to get effective control over the situation. It is celebrated annually by the active participation of various government organizations, health funding agencies, non-government organizations, NGOs, and other health organizations. It has become very necessary to run a variety of campaigns to aware the common public on a global basis as well as encourage them to actively participate in large numbers in the celebration to get much closer to the realities of this genetic disease.
It is celebrated to develop courage among the public and support them through educational and dramatic activities aiming to remove social stigma and myths about sickle cell anemia. Widespread health programs need to be implemented for the screening of patients and early diagnosis of this disease. New parents are focused on becoming aware of immunizations and their comprehensive care packages.
Global Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Centers have been actively involved online in promoting awareness, up-to-date and accurate information about sickle cell anemia, early diagnosis, treatment etc. World Health Organization has also made some commitments to promoting awareness of this disease, such as:
- Increasing effective awareness of sickle cell anemia as a major health issue worldwide.
- People living in each and every community all around the world should be aware of it.
- All the myths and stigmas about sickle cell disease are removed.
- All member countries are requested to establish various health programs to facilitate access to treatment for this disease on the national and regional levels.
- Promoting the availability of satisfactory access to technical support and medical services for all people suffering from this disease.
- All the medical professionals are given a good training facility for better prevention, research work, and accurate implementation of the resources minimizing disease complications.
SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES OF CELEBRATING THE WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY EVENT ANNUALLY ARE MENTIONED BELOW:
- To distribute the real information about sickle cell anemia much closer to the common public worldwide.
- By letting them know about their sickle cell status through early diagnosis, we can offer a big opportunity to all of them suffering from this disease.
- Provide the opportunity to get in contact with the service providers for their confirmatory tests.
- To get support from health organizations for funding, screening reagents, microscopes etc.
- To get together all the medical professionals, including lab assistants, scientists, nurses, counselors etc.
- To get online support through various social media websites, easily and immediately distribute messages among youths and other age groups.
- To implement new health strategies to completely eradicate this disease from the world.
- To motivate private, government, and other health organizations to active participation in the complete eradication of this disease.
HOW WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY IS CELEBRATED
World Sickle Cell Day is celebrated on the 19th of June every year by organizing a variety of awareness campaigns all over the world. Some of the awareness activities are motivating people for blood drives in the hospital or community, bone marrow registration drives, releasing balloons and butterflies, discussion campaigns, general conversation programs among the common public, commemorative activities, awareness surveys of people, sharing of related stories through a newspaper or online media, educational programs in the community, presentations, sports activities, organizing rallies, meetings, a press conference for awareness, fundraising for comprehensive treatment, blood awareness, donating tissues and cord blood, organizing comedy activities, quiz competitions, and other related activities in the schools, colleges, and universities.
Other activities include related message writing on hand and message distribution, picture drawing, creating hopeful messages, posters distribution, lucky draw contest, health talks, massage posting on a social media website, organizing free checkup camps for testing of the sickle cell anemia, people’s response broadcasting through the radio and TV channels, marathon and many more.
WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY THEMES
- 2024 “Hope Through Progress: Advancing Care Globally”
- 2019 – 2023 “Shine the Light on Sickle Cell Disease”
- 2018 “Stepping Up”, “SCD: Walk For Hope.”
- 2017 “Break the Sickle Cycle”.
- 2016 “Exhibit Courage and Address Ineffective Areas of Support”
- 2015 “For Sickle Cell to stop being ignored, you must Stop Your Silence and Share Your Truth.”
- 2014 “Break the Silence on Sickle Cell Disorder”
- 2013 “Know Your Sickle Cell Status”
- 2012 “Keeping Hope Alive”
- 2011 “Educate and Unite”
- 2010 “Awareness, Education and Hope”
- 2009 “The Burden of Sickle Cell Disease – A Public Health Approach”
- 2008 “Recognition of Sickle Cell Anemia as a Public Health Problem”