For years, families in Kisumu have silently struggled under the weight of sickle cell disease (SCD), often navigating a complex and under-resourced healthcare system. That struggle is finally beginning to ease, thanks to a newly established specialised sickle cell clinic at Victoria Annex Hospital in Milimani. Managed under the larger Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, this facility is now delivering swift, comprehensive, and affordable care to thousands of families.
The hospital is a hive of activity every Wednesday, dedicated solely to SCD patients. Parents arrive early, children in tow, knowing they will receive timely consultations and treatment. For caregivers like Bertha, whose son has battled the disease since infancy, the relief is tangible. Where once they endured long waits and unaffordable medication, now treatment is covered by the Social Health Authority, and services run efficiently from registration to pharmacy.
Sickle cell disease affects about 20 to 30 out of every 100 newborns in Kisumu County, a region with one of the highest concentrations in Kenya. It is a genetic disorder that causes red blood cells to deform and obstruct blood flow, leading to intense pain episodes, fatigue, and potential organ damage.
Patients like 19-year-old Walter have learned to live with the disease, identifying early signs of a crisis and adjusting their lifestyle accordingly. Though he’s had to give up sports and strenuous activity, he finds solace in music and friendship. He, too, praises the facility’s quick response and consistent access to essential medications like hydroxyurea and folic acid provided at no cost.
Beyond the clinical care, the centre also supports education and advocacy. Many families, like that of Evelyn and Amos, are now aware of the importance of managing carrier status. Evelyn, a carrier and mother of a child with SCD, maintains her health through medication, proper diet, and avoiding stress triggers. Their story reflects a broader public health message: early diagnosis and lifestyle management are critical.
The facility’s impact goes beyond individual care. Advocates like Veronica, whose daughter was diagnosed 16 years ago, are pushing for policy change. Her organisation supports hundreds of families and champions the need for mandatory genotype testing before marriage. Knowing one’s genetic status could prevent many of the estimated 14,000 annual SCD births in Kenya.
The medical community is backing these calls with data and urgency. In Kisumu, 2 to 3 percent of newborns are born with the disease, and up to 18 percent carry the trait. Without early diagnosis, up to 90 percent of affected children may not survive beyond five years.
Victoria Annex is aiming even higher. Plans are underway to introduce an apheresis machine that can perform automated blood exchange transfusions a major upgrade from manual methods. This would shorten hospital stays and improve outcomes for patients requiring chronic transfusions.
In the long term, there are ambitions to establish a bone marrow and stem cell transplant centre on-site, potentially offering a cure to those with severe complications. Partnerships with global institutions are being explored to make this dream a reality.
What is unfolding at Victoria Annex Hospital is more than just medical progress it is a shift in how a region responds to a chronic and deadly disease. Through early intervention, accessible treatment, community support, and future-focused planning, Kisumu is giving its sickle cell warriors a fighting chance and, for the first time, real hope.
