Sickle-cell disease could soon become a thing of the past if efforts by the Sickle Cell Trust and the Health Ministry to eliminate the disease are successful.

Minister of Health Horace Dalley yesterday said his ministry would be embarking on a new programme to screen all pregnant mothers for sickle cell (and traces of the disease). The screening, he said will be piloted in all the regional hospitals.

Sickle-cell disease is a hereditary blood disease caused by an abnormality in the red pigment called haemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen in the red blood cells.

Educational programme

At the same time, the Sickle Cell Trust has launched a school video programme to educate students about the painful inherited disease.

Mr. Dalley pointed out that the ministry will endeavour to get the videos into hospital waiting rooms as well as health centres, to further educate persons about the disease.

The videos, in the form of lectures, will be distributed in secondary and tertiary institutions and are in two forms, 'about sickle-cell disease' suitable for fifth form students and 'more about sickle-cell disease' for sixth form students.

The lectures seek to reduce the impact of the disease on school children and their education as well as reduce the frequency of affected births by noting the importance of being tested for normal genes and making informed reproductive decisions. Persons with the trait are encouraged not to enter a relationship with someone who also has the trait.

Dispelling the myths

Mr. Dalley said of the videos, "The DVDs and videos will dispel the myths and educate our people, especially our young people at the child-bearing age ... and to spread the word that screening is the best solution."

Fifteen schools have so far received the educational videos. According to Karlene Mason, educational coordinator at the Sickle Cell Trust, the aim is to distribute the material to at least 90 per cent of schools by year end.

Distribution, she noted, will be done through the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors.