Burkina Faso – World Sickle Cell Day celebrated in Koupéla

07/21/2016

On 19 June, the Sickle Cell Disease Initiative Committee in Burkina celebrated World Sickle Cell Day at its regional branch office in Koupéla.

Every year, this special day is held to raise awareness of the world’s most widespread genetic disease.

To mark World Sickle Cell Day, the the Sickle Cell Disease Initiative Committee in Burkina (Comité d’initiative contre la drépanocytose au Burkina – CID/B) team ran an awareness campaign in Koupéla, around 100 miles from Ouagadougou. The first of its kind, this decentralized initiative was made possible only by the acquisition of a minibus as a direct result of support from the Fondation Pierre Fabre.

The entire team, accompanied by the representative of the Fondation Pierre Fabre, visited the Saint Camille Medical Centre in Koupéla, which partners the regional office of CID/Burkina where the event was held. Located in Kouritenga province, this health centre already monitors more than 260 children with sickle cell disease.

The official opening ceremony was attended by Yirwaya Ouedraogo, High Commissioner of Kouritenga province, Dramane Banaon, National Coordinator of CID/Burkina, Sambo S. Sayago, CID Koupéla Branch Coordinator and Sister Dr. Pascaline Koutaba, medical adviser to CID Koupéla.

Personal experiences and vaccination campaigns
Following the opening ceremony, the day was structured around the poignant personal experiences of sickle cell patients. This provided an opportunity for the patients, parents of children with sickle cell disease, primary school teachers and healthcare professionals present to discuss the issues surrounding this disease. An awareness-raising conference was also chaired by Professor E. Kafando on the theme of “The need to understand sickle cell disease, and the need to take action”. The event also issued a plea to the local authorities of Kouritenga province to continue implementation of initiatives to raise awareness of sickle cell disease.

CID/Burkina also supported a diverse range of sickle cell disease awareness-raising activities. Free pneumococcus vaccination campaigns have been organised for sickle cell patients. As a result, more than 200 children with sickle cell disease have been vaccinated at the Sickle Cell Information Centre in Ouagadougou, and around 140 patients at the Saint Camille Medical Centre in Koupéla.