Mitchelle Omullo sat in the operating theatre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, observing the automated red‑blood‑cell‑exchange (RBCx) machine as it processed her blood. After years of painful crises and two mild strokes, the procedure offered her renewed optimism and a glimpse of relief for countless others facing severe sickle‑cell complications.
Omullo, who was born with sickle‑cell disease, eagerly volunteered when the hospital partnered with Nairobi West Hospital to introduce RBCx. Expressing a mixture of nerves and hope, she said, “I was overwhelmed with hope and asked to be among the first to undergo it.”
Sickle‑cell disease is a growing global concern, with 7.7 million people living with the condition and 515,000 births in 2021 alone, most in sub‑Saharan Africa. In Kenya, the Ministry of Health estimates about 14,000 children are born with the disease each year and 18 % carry the trait, with the highest burden in Nyanza, Western and Coastal regions.
Diagnosed at age three, Omullo has endured school disruptions, mental anguish, attempts at self‑harm, and employment challenges. She now runs the Victoria Youth in Film Empowerment initiative, produced a documentary on sickle‑cell disease, and founded the West Kenya Sickle Cell Organisation to support affected families.
The RBCx procedure works by connecting a patient to an apheresis machine that removes sickled red cells and returns the remaining blood componentsplasma and platelets. Clinician Dr. Boniface Kairu explains that the goal is to reduce sickled cells from 100 % to about 25‑30 %, thereby lowering the risk of strokes, ulcers and other severe complications. He notes that the benefits are not permanent; the procedure must be repeated roughly every three months.
Patients who receive regular RBCx show marked improvements: healed ulcers, fewer hospital admissions, reduced pain and better long‑term health. Early diagnosis and specialized care, combined with simple treatments such as hydroxyurea, folic acid and penicillin, are vital for preventing long‑term damage.
Sickle‑cell disease remains a significant public health challenge in Kenya. At JOOTRH, approximately 4,000 babies are born with the condition annually in the Lake Region alone. CEO Selina Olwanda of the Children Sickle‑Cell Foundation says adding RBCx to the care spectrum is a welcome development but stresses that access remains uneven, favoring urban over rural areas.
Olwanda calls for stronger primary‑health‑care systems to enable early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, arguing that better infrastructure could reduce the need for specialized interventions. She remains optimistic that, with sustained efforts from government, healthcare providers and communities, care will improve dramatically in the coming decade.
After her RBCx session, Omullo noted significant physical changes and encouraged others to consider the procedure. “It has changed my life completely,” she said. She is proud to pioneer a treatment that may help many who endure repeated crises each year.