Sickle Cell Disease in Guyana: Doctors Urge Blood Donations to Save Lives
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – Sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder that affects red blood cells, continues to pose a significant threat to public health in Guyana. Medical professionals are now intensifying calls for increased blood donations, which are critical to treating children and adults suffering from this life-altering condition.
Under normal conditions, red blood cells are round and flexible, allowing them to move easily through blood vessels. However, in individuals with sickle cell disease, these cells take on a crescent or sickle shape, blocking blood flow and causing pain, infection, organ damage, and other life-threatening complications.
Urgent Need for Blood Donations
Dr. Pedro Lewis, Director of the National Blood Transfusion Service, highlighted the importance of public support in ensuring a stable blood supply:
“We’ve been advocating for more blood donation. Sickle cell patients—especially children—depend heavily on transfusions. We want them to live full, productive lives in society.”
Dr. Lewis emphasized that consistent blood donations are crucial for managing crises, reducing hospital stays, and enhancing long-term patient outcomes.
A Growing Burden
Dr. Charlene Stanton, a consultant in pediatric medicine at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), noted that Guyana bears a significant burden of hemoglobin disorders, including sickle cell disease, with approximately 3 cases per 100,000 persons affected.
“We’re seeing new patients regularly, and many require long-term care,” Dr. Stanton stated. “Frequent blood transfusions are necessary to manage infections—one of the most dangerous complications in sickle cell patients.”
She also warned that young patients are at heightened risk of strokes and other neurological conditions. The disease, she noted, is inherited and unavoidable, yet devastating in its impact, often presenting with severe pain and requiring continuous medical intervention.
How You Can Help
Both doctors stressed the importance of voluntary blood donation, especially during World Sickle Cell Day (June 19) and throughout the year.
“Your donation can mean the difference between life and death for a child living with sickle cell,” Dr. Lewis said.
Key Takeaways:
- Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to deform and block blood flow.
- Frequent blood transfusions are critical for managing symptoms and complications.
- Guyana continues to see a growing number of sickle cell cases in children.
- Citizens are encouraged to donate blood regularly to support these patients.