How subpar treatment options allow sickle cell disease to persist | Explained
Suraj, five, was sent to the district hospital in Nuapada, western Odisha, after being ill with a persistent fever. He and his family had to run from one hospital to another, some even 250 kilometres from their hamlet. Finally, when his haemoglobin electrophoresis tests revealed SCD, he was admitted as a patient and referred for blood transfusions. Suraj’s tale demonstrates the difficulty that people like Suraj, who come from disadvantaged tribal communities, experience in accessing basic healthcare and diagnostics. Continue reading
