About 6,000 turned up on Sunday in Gulu to commemorate the national world sickle cell day at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu town.
The event was meant to raise awareness and offer treatment for sicklers. Gulu health officials say sickle cells is common in the district.
Ajok Grace, 40, a mother of five, one of the thousands that turned up at Kaunda Grounds told Acholi Times that one of her children is a sickler, something she said has affected her marriage. Ajok said her husband refused to test for the disease but instead blames her as a carrier.
Tusuubira Sharif, the executive director Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation said northern Uganda has the highest Sickle Cell burden at 20% percent due to the prevalence of malaria epidemic in the region.
Tusuubira says Sickle Cell management is a big financial burden to the family and the commemoration of the day is to give civil society and other partners the opportunity to support the government to raise the agenda of sickle cells and make substantial contribution to the effort to combat the disease.
BM Karungi, the Director BMK Group in Kampala who partnered with Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation in the fundraising drive for medicine, clothes and food for sicklers said that there is need to create more awareness about the disease so that couples test and know their status before marriage.
More than 1,500 people received treatment and over 800 tested to know their status during the commemoration of world sickle day in Gulu.
Hillary Onek the minister for disaster preparedness who was chief guest at the event appreciated Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue foundation for raising awareness about sickle cells.
