Medical assistance to sickle cell anemia children- Collaborative Initiative

As gender and disability advocates it came to our notice

that sickle cell anemia is more neglected than disability and children with

sickle cell suffer more and die easily due to negligence in Cameroon. This

initiative is ongoing and supports children with sickle cell anemia to access

monthly medical services and routine medication.

Veronica Ngum Ndi and Arrey Echi are World Pulse Sisters who

hold disability and sickle cell close to their hearts and are passionately

supporting these children in their local communities in Cameroon.

Through our interaction with families, of these children, it

came to our noticed that sickle cell anemia persons in Cameroon are more

neglected than persons with disabilities. Their medical, health, nutrition

livelihood and protection needs are more expensive and highly demanded than

those of persons with disabilities. Their medication is mandatory to consume

and costly to afford. Most persons with sickle cell anemia come from low-income

families. Approximately 80% of one of their parents (either mother or father)

face blame and some sort of violence from the other partner. More girls with

sickle cell anemia face gender based violence and other forms of violence, have

limited access to education/empowerment opportunities. Families of persons with

sickle cell anemia have a general perception that they sickle cell warriors

will soon die hence they have no hope for them. We will like to facilitate a

field visit for these children and their family when it is required. We will

like to seek further support for these children and more with sickle cell

anemia on education, nutrition, shelter and livelihood activity for financial

sustainability for the family.

This funds will enable us to scale up the number of children

we support through our medical assistance initiative from 4 to 6 children with

monthly medical assistance, general medical service provision for a period of

one year.  The impact we have had with

this initiative is that these children when supported have the good health to

stay in school, perform well and interact in community life there by improving

on their social cohesion.

#StrongerTogether

#COllaborativeInitiative

#DisabilityRight

#sickleCellRight