Proceeds of Kabaka run to go into managing sickle cell

Ahead of the annual Kabaka birthday run scheduled for April, the Prime Minister of Buganda Kingdom Charles Peter Mayiga on Feb.24 addressed a press conference at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Kampala where he revealed that this year’s proceeds will go towards tackling sickle cell disease.

While previously the money collected has been going towards managing obstetric fistula, the change in focus he said is due to the fact that people remain largely unaware of how sickle cell, a painful blood disorder inherited from parents who have a trait is contracted and how it can be avoided.  Mayiga who said the kingdom is planning to make it compulsory for couples to test before traditional marriage added that those who will take part in the run will be given a kit with basic information on the disease.

Currently, Uganda’s prevalence of the disease stands at 13.3% where between 50 and 70% of the children born with the disease die before celebrating their 5^th birthday.

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editor@independent.co.ug