CONGO NOTES SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN TREATMENT AND RESEARCH
Sickle cell disease is a genetic hemoglobin disease that affects most African countries. The majority of children with the most serious form of this disease die before the age of 5, usually from infection or serious blood loss. According to experts, more than 25 per cent of the Congolese population has a sickle line. By Yvette Queen Boro Nzaba
Since 2005, the Congo Assistance Foundation, led by Antoinette Sassou, has been involved in the fight against sickle cell disease. "The anonymity in which she found herself, prompted us to take our pilgrim's staff to travel the world in order to be the voice carrier of the sick," explains President Founder of Congo Assistance.
Strolling across all continents, Antoinette Sassou N Indeed, it has been since the 2000s that the First Lady of Congo-Brazzaville, in collaboration with the former First Lady of Senegal, began her advocacy both nationally and internationally for the prevention and management of this disease.
With the support of the International Organisation to Combat Sickle cell Disease (OILD) and the assistance of several countries, on 22 December 2008 they were able to adopt resolution A/63/237 of the United Nations General Assembly, making sickle cell disease a public health problem and dedicating 19 June: International sickle cell awareness day.
In June 2005, the Congo hosted the first general states of sickle cell disease. An event that brought together more than a hundred scientists, doctors and researchers from Africa, Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, but also sick sick sick patients. "The first global general states on sickle cell disease opened our eyes and allowed us to draw new perspectives together. In the Congo, our advocacy led to the establishment of a national reference centre for sickle cell disease," recalls Antoinette Sassou N
On the occasion of the African Congress on Hematology held in Brazzaville in July 2018, the first Lady of the Congo, Ms. Antoinette Sassou N
She was also awarded on May 20, 2019 in Geneva, by the World Health Organization (WHO), at the seventy-second World Health Assembly, for her involvement in the fight against this genetic disease. On this occasion, Antoinette Sassou N的Guesso reaffirmed her determination in the fight against sickle cell disease and other diseases, notwithstanding some weaknesses aggravated by financial difficulties.
WHO, which supports the Congo in the screening and management process, had proposed a range of public health interventions. It advocates improving the accessibility and quality of care, strengthening clinical, laboratory, diagnostic and medical imaging services to make them effective and responsive to different levels of health care system.
In the fight against sickle cell disease, some rules of body hygiene are needed. Preventive medicine requires the child to sleep in an impregnated net and to avoid factors that aggravate the disease such as cold, flu, malaria, regular vaccination, etc.
Ms. Antoinette Sassou's pleaded "N"Guesso
The advocacy of the First Lady of the Congo was aimed at raising awareness of sickle cell disease, now recognized as a public health priority. His commitment has also been reflected in several achievements, including the erection of a national sickle cell reference centre (CNRDr) in Brazzaville University Hospital (CHUB), which rightly bears his name. A gesture that is a response to medical care and a way of accompanying patients.
"In the Congo, through the sick disease reference centre (CNRDr), we want to create the conditions for efficient care of the sick and for applied, fruitful and innovative research," said the President of Congo Assistance.
Through its status and capabilities, the national focal point for sickle cell disease is responsible for coordinating activities to combat this genetic disease, building on the national programme and the Congo Assistance Foundation.
"nbsp; The interest of the reference centres, which are centres of excellence in improving the conditions for early diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell disease, aims to unite our knowledge and to pool our efforts in order to accelerate the improvement of the quality of life of people living with sickle cell disease, says Antoinette Sassou N It should be noted that for some time, consultations have also taken place in deconcentrated centres in Pointe-Noire, Marie-Louise Poto-Djembo Polyclinic, Dolisie, Nkayi, Kinkala and Loutété. As every year, the medical community, associations and NGOs involved in the celebration of the World Day to Combat Sickle cell disease on June 19, organize activities to raise public awareness of this disease.
In Congo, the day is often sponsored by Ms. Antoinette Sassou N Its Foundation often calls for the strengthening of diagnostic capabilities through early detection, with a view to providing personalized genetic counselling and better management for those with the discomfort.
CADE
CNRDr "ANTOINETTE SASSOU N
LESPOIR IS PERMITTED
The National Centre of Reference of the sickle cell disease "Antoinette Sassou N Built with the participation of the Congolese government, it was inaugurated in 2015 by the wife of the head of state of Congo-Brazzaville, in the presence of the First Ladies of Africa. Its activities began in 2018, in partnership with the Fondation Congo Assistance, led by the First Lady, and the global sponsor of the fight against sickle cell disease.
Located at Brazzaville Hospital and University Centre (CHUB), the CNRDr is subsidized by the Congolese State, and also produces its own recipes. It is a public institution, administrative in nature. The activities started with consultation of patients, in accordance with the guidelines of the State. The centre provides day-to-day preventive, curative and rehabilitative medical activities in the context of sickle cell disease, the first locomotive tow several other blood diseases such as hemophilia, red blood cell disease and blood cancer. Many patients from other departments of the country come in consultation. Since the opening of the centre, 28.400 sick sick sick patients have been monitored in this health facility.
About 157 patients with haemophilia whose boys also attend the centre! The CNRDr has a 25-bed hospital of the day and accommodates patients in a difficult condition. This hospital of the day is open from 7am to 7pm. After 7 p.m., patients in a serious condition are hospitalized to CHUB in haematology or paediatrics.
The centre is equipped with a transfusion device, which helps to secure the pregnant woman. In the near future, a newly constructed hemodialysis centre worth more than 200 million Fcfa will be received. It was funded by the Congo Assistance Foundation and its partners.
Since its opening, apart from the consultations, the CNRDr has organized several activities and welcomed many visitors. These include the visit of the Director General of Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), Audrey Azoula in October 2020, the visit of the First Lady of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi and others.
As far as the activities are concerned, in December 2020 the centre hosted the first memory defence in haematology by a candidate of Cameroonian nationality. On 31 January 2020, the centre organized an information session on haemophilia, led by a team of doctors from Bordeaux, France, in collaboration with the Congolese Hemophiliac Association, to improve the lives of patients living with a blood clotting disorder.
As a result of a long plea by the First Lady of the Congo, the National Centre of Reference for sickle cell disease (CNRDr) "Antoinette Sassou N Through its Congo Assistance Foundation, Ms. Antoinette Sassou N
This modern complex, very well equipped technically, has a subregional vocation. He has signed partnership agreements with Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease based in Washington, USA
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