KAMPALA — Dei BioPharma Ltd has donated 30,000 doses of Hydroxyurea under its Hyxurea brand to the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) to support the fight against sickle cell disease.
The donation was made today during the PSU Sickle Cell Run 2026, which aimed to raise awareness about the disease and mobilise support for affected communities and families, particularly in the Busoga sub-region.
The proceeds from the run, which raised more than Shs50 million, together with donations made in kind, will be channelled through Ministry of Health structures to support vulnerable sickle cell patients, especially children who cannot afford treatment.
While receiving the donation, Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, commended Dei BioPharma for supporting efforts to combat sickle cell disease in Uganda.
Olaro revealed that the Ministry of Health is finalizing a costed national strategy for sickle cell disease, following guidance from Parliament.
He said the strategy would focus on increasing public awareness, improving early detection and strengthening access to treatment.
“We will start from schools and communities so that by the time people reach reproductive age, they are able to make better choices. In the strategy, we would really advise that you test before you get into a marriage,” Olaro said.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition passed from parents to their children.
According to the Ministry of Health, the prevalence of the disease among Ugandans ranges between 0.7 and one per cent, while the sickle cell trait is estimated to affect about 13 per cent of the population.
Olaro said the government introduced newborn screening to help identify children with the condition early and connect them to appropriate care.
“If we identify these children early and put them into care, the risk of them developing complications reduces, and the risk of them getting hospitalized reduces,” he said.
He added that the government is working to expand blood bank services across the country to support patients who require blood transfusions.
The Ministry of Health is also working with the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) to explore long-term treatment options, including gene therapy, Olaro said.
He further noted that the government is considering expanding access to sickle cell medicines to Health Centre III facilities so that patients without complications could receive their medication closer to home and at no cost.
In his remarks, Dr Steven Rutoti, the Executive Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, said the society organized the run after recognizing the difficulties faced by people living with sickle cell disease in accessing essential medicines.
He said Hydroxyurea is one of the medicines recommended for managing sickle cell disease, but many patients, particularly in Busoga, struggle to afford it.
“We looked at the plight of the sicklers, the way they go through life. There is a challenge with access to medicines that manage sickle cell disease, and one of those medicines is called Hydroxyurea,” Rutoti said.
He explained that the run was intended to combine public awareness with fundraising and partnership-building to support affected families.
Rutoti said the funds raised would be used to assist vulnerable patients through Ministry of Health structures, with a particular focus on children in the Busoga sub-region.
Busoga Faces High Sickle Cell Burden
Osman Ahmed Noor, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, said sickle cell disease remains a major challenge in the region, particularly in Mayuge and Kamuli districts.
He cited a regional prevalence estimate of more than 19 per cent, compared with the national estimate of about 0.8 per cent.
“As you are all aware, in Busoga we have very high prevalence rates when it comes to sickle cell, especially in the districts of Mayuge and Kamuli,” Noor said.
He added that the Kingdom has been supporting initiatives to raise funds for sickle cell testing equipment and increase awareness among communities through various Kyabazinga-led programmes.
Dei BioPharma Supports Sickle Cell Care
Dr Adrian Kivumbi Dungu, the Executive Manager for Business Development at Dei BioPharma Ltd said the company chose to support Busoga because of the high burden of sickle cell disease reported in the region.
“We chose to support Busoga because currently in Uganda it is the region which has the highest prevalence percentage of cases to do with sickle cell disease,” Dungu said.
He attributed the burden partly to limited awareness of sickle cell traits and inadequate information about testing, prevention and disease management.
Global Sickle Cell Burden
Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide, with the greatest burden occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.
Estimates indicate that between 20,000 and 25,000 children are born with sickle cell disease in Uganda each year, while about 80 per cent of global cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Limited access to screening, early diagnosis and affordable treatment continues to contribute to complications and preventable deaths among children living with the condition.
