Babies born with the Sickle Cell trait are only expected to live to about the age of 25-30 years old if treatment is not administered. Babies born with the trait of CH could potentially develop mental disorders, limb and joint impairments and other such disabilities that can affect them as they grow and develop.
But the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI Ltd) has joined a venture that could potentially help to reduce this scourge.
A sample being taken from a new-born baby
In this regard the Bank has seen it fit to partner with two doctors; Dr Pheona Mohammed-Rambaran, Director of Medical Laboratory, and Dr Bibi Alladin-Karan, Paediatric Resident, who are attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). They are currently undertaking a pilot project called “New-Born Screening”. This pilot project has been running from 1st July, 2016 and continues to the 30th September,2017 and will see three thousand, two hundred (3,200) new-born infants being tested for the prevalence of Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) and Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) at the GPHC. To date, some three thousand infants have been tested for these diseases. Dr Alladin-Karan noted that because of the efforts placed by the bank in this project that they have saved a number of babies’ lives from SCA and CH.
It is hoped that once the pilot project is completed that comprehensive sensitization and awareness campaigns will be done along with an advocacy for sustainability of this project which would then see the implementation of same by the year 2018.