World sickle cell awareness day 2021: All you need to know

Sickle cell disease causes patients to have sickle-shaped red blood cells that can stick together and block blood flow and oxygen from reaching all parts of the body.

World Sickle Cell Awareness Day is observed every year on June 19 to increase awareness and understanding of the disease and the challenges faced by its patients and their families. Sickle cell disease causes patients to have sickle-shaped red blood cells that can stick together and block blood flow and oxygen from reaching all parts of the body. It is an inherited blood disorder.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. (HT Photo)

People who have the disease can experience pain, anemia, infection and other serious health complications that may require care by a professional healthcare provider, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"When health problems, such as serious pain (also known as pain crises), cannot be managed at home or a visit to a healthcare provider is not possible, children and adults with SCD (Sickle cell disease) often require care in hospital emergency departments (ED) or clinics for treatment. In fact, the Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) program (CDC’s current SCD monitoring project) found that, in California, people with SCD seek care in the ED an average of three times a year from their late teens to their late 50s," the CDC website says.

According to the US nonprofit Mayo Clinic, there's no cure for most people with the disease, but treatments can relieve pain and help prevent complications.

Here are some symptoms of sickle cell disease:

-- Anemia

-- Episodes of pain

-- Swelling of hands and feet

-- Frequent infections

-- Delayed growth or puberty

-- Vision problems

Those with unexplained fever, episodes of severe pain, such as pain in the abdomen, chest, bones or joints, swelling in the hands or feet, abdominal swelling, especially if the area is tender to the touch, pale skin or nail beds, yellow tint to the skin or whites of the eyes should see the doctor for early detection of the disease and for emergency medical care.