Sickle cell is an inherited form of anemia where red blood cells become abnormally long and pointed, similar to the shape of a banana. The red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like a farming tool called sickle or crescent moon. The irregularly shaped cells get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body. Sickle red cells die after 10 to 20 days instead of the usual 120 days. This non communicable disease requirestwo of the sickle hemoglobin must be inherited from ones parents in order to have the disease. A person who receives a gene for sickle cell disease from one parent and a normal gene from the other has a condition called sick cell trait and produces no symptoms or problem for most of the people. Some people with sickle cell disease leads their lives in a nearly normal way. Others are less fortunate and can suffer from a variety of complications. Over 150,000 babies are born each year with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria and over 40million Nigerians are carriers of the sickle cell gene. Some of the symptoms of sickle cell disease includes:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Symptoms of fever
- Shortness of breath and chest pains which can make it difficult to exercise or be active
- Joint and bone pains
- Symptoms of jaundice like yellowing of eyes
- Swelling of the hand and feet and many others.
- High fluid intake
- Healthy diet
- Folic acid supplementation
- Pain medications
- Vaccination and antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of infections.
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