A rural Ugandan community is a hot spot for sickle cell disease. But one patient gives hope

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA
Associated Press

MBALE, Uganda (AP) — There can be lifelong challenges for people with sickle cell disease in rural Uganda, where it remains poorly understood. Estimates vary, but some researchers put the number of people with the disease in sub-Saharan Africa at more than 5 million. The only cure for the pain it can cause is a bone marrow transplant or gene therapy. That’s beyond the reach of most patients in this East African nation where sickle cell disease is not a public health priority. But one patient is combating local stigma by showing what can be possible.