Nigeria Has Highest Rate Of Sickle Cell Disease Globally- FG

…To Integrate Sickle Cell Care Into Primary Health Scheme

As nations of the world commemorate the 2021 world sickle cell day, the Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, has said that Nigeria currently has the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world.

Nigeria is ahead of countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo and India,

The Minister in statement on Saturday, said that two percent of new-borns in Nigeria are affected by sickle cell anemia, giving a total of about 150,000 affected children born every year.

Sickle Cell Disease has been identified to be among the top five non-communicable diseases significantly contributing to maternal, neonatal, infant and child disability, morbidity and mortality.

The Minister said, “About 50–80 percent of the estimated 150,000 infants born yearly with SCD in Nigeria die before the age of five years and those that manage to survive suffer end-organs damage which shortens their lifespan including stroke.

“Nigeria currently has the highest burden of Sickle Cell Disease in the whole World ahead of Democratic Republic of Congo and India, with an estimated 25% of her adult population being carriers of defective S-gene,” he said.

The Minister who noted the inadequate national policies in tackling the trend of the disease, further said that efforts are ongoing to integrate the sickle cell disease care and services into the maternal and child health services especially at the primary and secondary levels of healthcare in Nigeria.

According to him, the move will help to improve early identification of cases and enrolment into the comprehensive care for Sickle Cell Disease.

He also hinted on effort to revitalize and reposition the six zonal sickle cell disease centres to care for those living with the disease.