Context:- World Sickle Cell Day is an international awareness day commemorated every year on 19 June, to alert the global public about sickle cell disease.
An Overview of the News
- It aims to raise awareness about sickle cell disease (SCD).
- Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder. It is characterized by abnormal red blood cells that take on a crescent or sickle shape.
- Irregularly shaped cells can cause blockage in the blood vessels and this leads to various health complications.
- This disease affects individuals, families and communities around the world.
- This can result in organ damage, anemia and increased susceptibility to infection.
History
- World Sickle Cell Awareness Day has its origins in a United Nations General Assembly resolution adopted on December 22, 2008.
- The resolution recognized sickle cell disease as a global health concern. It designated June 19th as the official day to raise awareness about the disease worldwide.
- The resolution was a response to the pressing need for increased awareness and attention to sickle cell disease, which affects millions of people globally, particularly those of African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian descent. Sickle cell disease is a major public health issue, causing significant morbidity and mortality in affected individuals. The establishment of World Sickle Cell Awareness Day addressed the lack of understanding, limited access to healthcare, and social stigma associated with sickle cell disease.
- It aims to draw attention to the challenges faced by individuals and families affected by the disease. It also aims to advocate for improved healthcare services, research, and support systems.
Theme
This year 2023, the World Sickle Disease Day theme is “Building and strengthening Global Sickle Cell Communities, Formalizing New-born Screening and Knowing your Sickle Cell Disease Status”, a call to recognise the first step (understanding the genotype in infants and adults) in fighting sickle cell disease. Across the world, parents usually discover their genotype status of affinity towards sickle cell disease only when they have children.
The theme given by the Global Alliance of Sickle Cell Disease Organizations (GASCDO) urges the utilization of advanced technology in this new age world. It aims to identify the sickle cell disease status.
Read also:- Sickle cell anemia
