Problems of parental care for sickle cell children at the ''Gracia Fondation'' treatment center

Introduction: Sickle cell disease is a complex disease, both historically and medically, at the collective and individual levels. It is the world's most common genetic disease, affecting around 50 million people, and its treatment is multidisciplinary, comprising 2 components: analgesic treatment and treatment of factors promoting sickle cell disease.  The sole objective of this study is to identify the various problems related to the care of sickle cell children encountered by parents at the ''Gracia fondation'' Center.

Methodology:  This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study whose population is made up of 20 parents of sickle-cell children followed up at the ''Gracia fondation'' center in the city of Kisangani from 15 /10 to 15 /11 2024. We used an interview technique to collect data, based on a pre-established questionnaire.   

Results: After tabulation and analysis of the data, the following result was observed: insufficient financial means and abandonment of children by their fathers are the main difficulties experienced by parents in caring for their sickle-cell-affected children, according to 100% and 80% of the respective subjects.