Bridging the Gap

When we think of Sickle Cell Disorders (SCD), they become entwined with the history of the African continent in the legacy of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade, colonialism and present-day health inequalities between low, middle and high-income countries. However, the history of SCD is also one of entanglements between humans, animals, climatic and physical, socio-economic, political and cultural environments, biology and human psychology. The healthcare professionals and healers in African settings, dealing with patients presenting with SCD understood this complexity, and that such a broader perspective was necessary to care for SCD especially when treatments and access to health were not always assured (Konotey-Ahulu, 1974). This is also correlated to why many medical professionals in the field of SCD have been receptive to the contributions of public health, social sciences, humanities, geography, economics, politics, technology and arts, to improve our past, present and future understanding of the condition and quality of life of people with SCD and their families.