By Veronica Mrema
The nutritional status and haemoglobin levels of people living with sickle cell disease in Bagamoyo Town Council are expected to improve through a special demonstration garden project.
The project has established a demonstration garden within a designated area provided by Bagamoyo District Hospital, where beneficiaries are given hands-on training on how to grow leafy vegetables and fruits.
They are also taught how to prepare and cook these vegetables to ensure they obtain the essential nutrients required in the body. In addition, home gardens will be established for each household to ensure they consistently access a complete and balanced diet.
The project is implemented by the Sickle Cell Disease People’s Community of Tanzania (SCDPCT) in collaboration with the Bone and Blood Foundation and Bagamoyo District Hospital.
Between 10 and 15 households with sickle cell warriors have been selected to participate in the project, which is funded by the international organization GANSID.
“The project will strengthen nutrition for people living with sickle cell disease. The demonstration garden will serve as an example for these warriors to learn how to grow various vegetables,”.
The Executive Director of SCDPCT, Arafa Salim Said, added that, “We will also establish small home gardens to ensure they eat balanced meals.”
“Together, we hope to transform and improve our health as sickle cell warriors,” said Arafa.
Rehema Kingu, the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Coordinator for Bagamoyo District, said the launch of the project is a very positive initiative.
“[Today/Nov. 14] is World Diabetes Day. We have been conducting free screening at the NCD clinic within the hospital, including blood pressure, cervical cancer, and heart examinations (ECG).
“These are rapidly increasing diseases—heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. But we are grateful that community members continue to seek knowledge and come for screening."
Rehema emphasized, “They now understand how to live with NCDs. Alongside these conditions, we also have sickle cell disease.”
“Through this special GANSID-funded project, we have been able to conduct training on NCDs for sickle cell warriors, their parents, and caregivers,” she said.
“Today we are also launching the demonstration garden so they can practically learn which types of vegetables to grow and consume at home.
“This will enable them to improve their blood levels. We all know that one of the major challenges of sickle cell disease is chronic anemia.”
She further noted, “Blood cannot be bought, but we can empower them by supporting household vegetable gardens.
“These vegetables can greatly help improve blood levels, including amaranth greens and roselle, which they can prepare as juice and drink.”
Rehema called on residents of Bagamoyo Town Council to continue getting screened for various NCDs, including sickle cell disease.
“The number of patients is high, and many still lack awareness,” she said, adding, “We thank SCDPCT for supporting us with this project.”
She urged other partners to come forward and support similar community initiatives.
“SCDPCT has helped with the demonstration garden, and others can contribute by supporting screening and diagnosis for sickle cell disease,” Rehema said.
Bagamoyo District Medical Officer Dr. Kandi Lusingu said, “Our sickle cell warriors are frequently hospitalized due to severe anemia, so it is crucial to introduce this project.”
She added, “SCDPCT has established this garden which we are launching and it will serve as a demonstration site.
“After this, with the help of CHWs, we will visit selected households and help them establish gardens.
“This will ensure they access vegetables that help prevent frequent episodes of low blood levels.
“The district will continue to support this. The warriors themselves will extend this knowledge to others, and CHWs will be trained to provide home-based education.
“This will create a strong foundation for all community members to understand the importance of leafy vegetables, and sickle cell warriors will understand how essential these foods are to their well-being.”
At different moments, sickle cell warriors, their parents, and caregivers expressed their joy about the project, saying it will greatly help their loved ones living with sickle cell disease.
They said anemia is a recurring challenge for their warriors, often resulting in episodes of severe pain and frequent hospital admissions.
Bagamoyo Town Nutrition Officer Flora Boniface said the event was significant and special because the project aims to improve the nutrition and health of sickle cell warriors.
“We provided nutrition education, and the warriors turned out in large numbers. We will also train them on how to cook vegetables.
“They will plant vegetables at home, and CHWs will conduct follow-up visits. We are very grateful for this project coming to Bagamoyo,” she said joyfully.
SCDPCT Public Relations Officer Veronica Mrema earlier presented the project to the sickle cell warriors, their parents, and caregivers.
The leader of Community Health Workers (CHWs), Adam Idd, said that he and his fellow CHWs are ready to work closely with the agriculture officer to ensure the success of the project.
Chapisha Maoni