In Africa, sickle cell disease (SCD) is reported to be associated with a very high rate of childhood mortality, 50%–90%, yet there is a lack of reliable, up-to-date information. The most frequently cited study was conducted in the Garki district in rural northern Nigeria in the early 1970s.This Garki study provided valuable information on child survival and other aspects of the natural history of SCD during early childhood for that area about 40 years ago, but current, up-to-date information on the burden of mortality from SCD in Africa among populations with access to currently available treatments and preventive interventions is lacking.
Over time, as sickle cell disease emerged, it became known by various names in different tribal languages in Africa, long before it was discovered in western medicine.
Up to date there is no single medicine for curing the desease but in1998 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four medicines to treat sickle cell disease,hydroxyurea was approved. Later, L-glutamine and crizanlizumab‑tmca were approved. They treat different aspects of the disease. And recently Bone Marrow transplant was also discover to be use in curing the desease.
But through Genotype test for couples before marriage we can reduce the spread of the desease and also be free from the desease.
MAHMOUD HASSAN BDULKDIR
DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION
BAYERO UNIVERSITY,KANO.
