Following reports that Teso, Busoga, and Bundibugyo experience a high prevalence of sickle cell. The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga vowed to push to have the responsible Ministries to get a special fund to fight it. Kadaga was speaking at the Sickle Cell Run 2017 that attracted hundreds of people in Kampala. “...money in the budget of this year, I have instructed the Commission Finance and Commission Health to create a budget line, start now so that we can build on it and ensure that it becomes a regular feature of our budget. Of course, we shall also continue participating in the awareness campaigns and sensitization and we shall work together with the Sickle Cell Association and Pharmacies in this campaign.”

According to Kadaga, more money will be channeled into buying Sickle cell testing machines in every government health facility. “So, yes we trust the first hospital we have but we still need to move down to the health center IVs and possibly health center IIIs at some stage so that the screening is available at the lowest level.” The Sickle Cell Association of Uganda was looking for 2.5 billion shillings to construct a Sickle Cell Hospital that will be built in Kasangati. Its Executive Director Ruth Nankanja said the public needed to focus on the disease because it is a great threat to health. “This disease is a very big problem in Uganda, approximately 25,000 babies are born annually with this disease in Uganda. And we lose about 80% before they celebrate their fifth birthday.” Said, Ruth Nakanja - Executive Director, SAU. “Both our medicines which we have are very useful. There are many people who know good medicine in this country which is like herbal medicines and foods which are useful. We can do research in those areas and develop them.” Said, Dr. John Ogwang – President, FAU. Ten million shillings was raised towards the construction of the Sickle Cell home.