By Queens County Politics staff
Originally published in Queens County Politics on March 1, 2020
City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst), saw the city council yesterday overwhelming pass his Resolution 335A calling upon the State Legislature to pass and fully fund, and the Governor to sign, A.6493/S.2281, which would improve the care of sickle cell disease patients and educate about sickle cell trait.
Specifically, the state legislation would establish eight demonstration programs throughout New York State and one coordinating center to battle the disease.
Sickle-cell related conditions highlight health disparities in our system as communities of color are disproportionately affected. New York falls behind other states in rectifying this problem by fully funding the programs needed to enhance outcomes and quality of life for those with sickle cell disease.
Recognizing the need for the state to launch a coordinated effort to tackle this health challenge, Senator James Sanders (D-Queens) and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Queens) introduced A.6493/S.2281.
“Sickle cell disease is a public health crisis,” said Dromm. “Thousands of New Yorkers have either sickle cell trait or sickle cell disease. Sickle-cell related conditions highlight health disparities in our system as communities of color are disproportionately affected. A large effort is needed to meet this serious issue head-on and to address the myriad of concerns that have arisen.”
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