Free treatment for sickle cell leg sores

Summary

Leg ulcers, the most debilitating and stigmatizing complication of sickle cell disease can remain unhealed for years. Very painful, they render patients incapacitated, confined indoors and preclude them from leading normal, productive lives. Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria has identified a wound dressing solution more effective for healing these ulcers than commonly used solutions. This project will be providing FREE wound dressings for 10 indigent patients in Nigeria to ensure healing and improve quality of life.

Basic Information: 

Sickle Cell is a debilitating, stigmatizing disease causing excruciating pain, untimely death and sorrow. Sickle cell LEG ULCERS are very painful, incapacitating and preclude patients from leading normal, productive lives. They are notorious for their chronicity and are difficult to treat. Most affected persons are indigent and cannot afford treatment and transportation for daily wound dressing. The project will treat 10 persons in Nigeria with FREE DAILY wound dressing and treatment for 6 months - to ensure healing and improved quality of life.

Through:

(1) Procuring Consumables - gauze, bandages, strappings (2) Procuring Wound Dressing solution (3) Procuring necessary medications for the patients - Hydroxyurea, analgesics, antibiotics (4) Providing stipend to all patients for daily transportation to the clinic (5) Paying nurses for the service (6) It takes on average, 6 months for a sickle cell ulcer to heal with the proposed treatment (7) The target is to HEAL 10 indigent sickle cell patients of their leg ulcers within 6 months

Long-Term Impact

This project targets INDIGENT persons with sickle cell ulcers. It will provide treatment that will not only treat, but HEAL the leg ulcers and free beneficiaries from the physical, mental and emotional pain as well as stigmatization caused by these ulcers. Then they can once again, live normal, productive lives, contributing meaningfully to their communities and society at large.