A rumor has been circulating in the Central African Republic for several days, claiming that people with sickle cell disease have a life expectancy of less than 25 years. Be wary of this information, as no tangible scientific evidence has confirmed it, according to specialists and the Sickle Cell Research and Treatment Center at the Pediatric Complex in Bangui.
This rumor has caused concern, prompting the fact-checking editorial team of the Central African Fact-checkers Association (AFC) to investigate and verify its accuracy.
As part of the verification, the AFC contacted the Sickle Cell Research and Treatment Center at the Pediatric Complex in Bangui, as well as several patients living with the disease in the Central African Republic.
According to Jean Lazas Gbongare, the head nurse at the Sickle Cell Research and Treatment Center: “The false rumors circulating that people with sickle cell disease cannot live long are outdated. In 2020, we identified three leading causes of death at our center: severe acute chest syndrome, acute chest syndrome, and cerebral crises, which claimed many of our patients. But now we have a protocol to address these severe causes of death.”
In the same vein, the AFC editorial team gathered testimonials from some patients. According to Messi Ngbongbo: “Those who spread these kinds of rumors have no specific information about this disease. I have been living with this disease since childhood, and today I am 32 years old with four children who are free from sickle cell disease after checking their status. So, if a person with sickle cell disease follows their doctor’s advice, they can live a long life like anyone else.”
Clement Cédric Yakossi, president of the Association for the Fight Against Sickle Cell Disease in the Central African Republic (ALDC), added: “As a patient suffering from sickle cell disease, I would say this is completely false. My mother suffers from this disease, and today she is 52 years old. My brother is 32, my aunt is 35, and I am 24 years old.”
According to the official website of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), advances in the management of the disease have significantly increased the average life expectancy of people with sickle cell disease: it is now over 40 years, whereas it was less than 20 years before the 1980s. However, much remains to be done to improve the daily lives and life expectancy of patients. Besides therapeutic advances, early diagnosis is crucial in determining patients’ prognosis.
It is important to note that during the rainy season, individuals with sickle cell disease often experience difficult times due to their health condition, which fuels these unfounded rumors.
By Boris Zekema / AFC Fact-checking Editorial Team
Do you find information or images suspicious? Contact our editorial team at 00236 74 02 15 70 / 75 81 61 38 / 75 38 11 73, or email us at [email protected].
