By Sandra Blessings
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTH), the newest state parastatal, recently conducted a successful, the first of a kind a medical procedure in Kenya.
The doctors successfully conducted Red Cell Exchange, which is a super-specialty intervention for Sickle Cell Disease.
Permanent Secretary of State Department Medical Services, Dr Ouma Oluga commended the institution for the groundbreaking medical service in the country in the health care provision.
“I congratulate the Ag CEO Joshua Okise and the team of specialized health staff coordinated by Dr. Joy Muyonga for this groundbreaking medical service,” he said.
Dr Oluga said patients across the region will soon no longer have the anxiety, worry and suffering that has characterized living with sickle cell disease.
Similarly, Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang Nyong’o said JOOTRH has achieved a first in the Country’s public health system.
“We celebrate Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), which we have steered as a County over time, and is now our newest parastatal under the stewardship of State Department of Medical Services,” he said.
Nyong’o said the JOOTRH’s Victoria Annex has successfully conducted the first automated Red Blood Cell Exchange (RBCx), a super specialty intervention that offers renewed hope for patients living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
“The burden of SCD is heaviest here in Nyanza and Western Regions, where about 18% of children carry the Sickle cell trait and 4.5 % develop the disease.
Across Kenya an estimated 14000 children are born with SCD every year, without intervention, majority in Nyanza/Western do not live to see their 5th birthday,” he said.
He commended JOOTRH medical team for their dedication for the tireless work done.
Red blood cell exchange is a medical procedure that uses a machine called an apheresis system to remove abnormal red blood cells from a patient’s blood and replace them with healthy donor cells.
It’s a non-surgical therapy primarily used to manage complications of sickle cell disease by reducing the amount of abnormal sickle-shaped red blood cells in the body.
The procedure involves inserting two cannulas (thin tubes) into the patient’s arms, with one removing blood to be processed by the apheresis machine and the other returning healthy donor blood.
How the Procedure Works:
- 1. Blood Removal:
A small amount of blood is removed from the patient through an inserted needle or catheter.
- 2. Apheresis:
The blood travels to an apheresis machine, which uses a centrifuge to spin and separate the different components of the blood, including red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma.
- 3. Removal of Abnormal Cells:
The abnormal red blood cells are then discarded.
- 4. Healthy Cells Transfused:
Simultaneously, healthy red blood cells from a donor are returned to the patient.
- 5. Monitoring:
A trained nurse monitors the patient throughout the procedure to ensure their comfort and to watch for any side effects.
Purpose
- Sickle Cell Disease Management:
The primary goal is to reduce the concentration of sickle hemoglobin (HbS) in the blood, which helps prevent complications like tissue hypoxia and infarction by improving the function of red blood cells.
- Emergency and Preventative Care:
It can be performed in an emergency to treat acute complications or as a regular program to prevent new ones.
Potential Side Effects
Some side effects may occur, similar to blood donation, and can include:
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or nausea
- Headache or chills
- Discomfort, bruising, or numbness at the needle site
- A temporary decrease in platelet count
- Rarely, allergic reactions or infections
