14/10/2026
Yesterday, representatives from government institutions and various organisations, including Raremark Foundation, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Hips for Africa, Ministry of Health- Uganda and the World Health Organization, gathered for a press conference on the progress of the .
The discussion highlighted the need for improved access to specialized care for Warriors living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and avascular necrosis (AVN).
Key issues included the financial barriers to hip replacement surgery, inadequate healthcare resources, and the need for stronger partnerships to improve SCD awareness, screening and treatment.
Dr Kasirye Phillip, Head of the Sickle Cell Clinic at Mulago National Referral Hospital , emphasized that the hospital cannot address the burden of SCD alone, calling for greater collaboration with NGOs and other partners.
“We are very happy to welcome Raremark Foundation and other NGOs to partner with us so as help these warriors and reduce the burden of SCD in Uganda,” he said.
Byanyima Rosemary, Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, highlighted the resource constraints affecting the hospital’s ability to meet the growing needs of Warriors.
She called for increased government investment in staffing, facilities and specialized care.
“We call upon the government to intervene, we need more space, lab equipment and human resource to cater for these growing numbers of sickle cell Warriors,” she emphasized.
The Guest of Honour, Hon. Dr Charles Ayume, also called for stronger collective action to improve support for Sickle Cell Warriors, stressing the need to move beyond conversations and work towards practical solutions.
“I hold SCD very close to my heart, and we need to find better solutions together,” he said.
He further pledged, on behalf of the Ministry of Health- Uganda, to work towards increasing the budget for SCD services to provide more beds, medications and healthcare personnel.
The day concluded with the attendees touring the SCD clinic and Warriors who were selected for the camp, bringing them closer to the realities facing Warriors and the healthcare teams supporting them.
