Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sickle Cell Awareness Month - Globally

Global Sickle Cell Awareness


September is the best time of year. The weather starts to cool down as the earth moves away from the sun's summer heat. And, it is also Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Recently, I'm overwhelmed by the many activities related to this event. People are walking, talking, teaching, and even preaching about sickle cell disease this month.

         
My heart is very glad.      

However, I have been looking for something else. I've been looking for global awareness, global acknowledgement and global assistance for people with sickle cell disease. 

Guess what? I think I've found it.

There is a health care assessment "toolkit" created by PHG Foundation for countries to evaluate their health care needs, as it relates various diseases. Thankfully, they have included sickle cell disease. 

The PHG Foundation's Toolkit for Health Needs Assessment in Congenital Disorders has “country specific” data from sources like the World Health Organization (WHO). 

PHG's ultimate goal in developing the toolkit is to improve health outcomes of people with congenital disorders and reduce the burden of these disorders.

This toolkit is useful in many ways. Health administrators, health agencies, health departments, or anyone who determines healthcare policy and funding decisions, can use this tool useful in assessing current and planning future health care strategy needs.

If you are a healthcare professional, policy maker or health administrator please pass this information on to the people who make health care assessment and funding decisions in your country. 

Once they complete this assessment, they just might find justification for providing better health care for people with sickle cell disease.