Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has disclosed thatNigeria currently has the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world ahead of Democratic Republic of Congo and India, with an estimated 25 per cent of her adult population being carriers of defective S-gene.

This is as he also noted that available record shows that sickle cell disease affects nearly 100 million people in the world and is also responsible for over 50% of deaths in those with the most severe form of the disease (Hb SS).

Ehanire in a statement to commemorate2021 World Sickle Cell Day cited the report by the World Health Organisation(WHO) in2015which estimated that 2% of newborns in Nigeria are affected by sickle cell anaemia, giving a total of about 150,000 affected children born every year.

Ehanire pointed out that about 50 per cent to 80 per cent 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.

According to Ehanire, “the2021World Sickle Cell Day commemoration with the theme “Shine the Light on Sickle Cell” gives Nigerians a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the increasing burden of SCD and eliminate the negative notion associated with it as well as building synergy with civil society organizations, international institutions and development partners towards the prevention, control and management of SCD in Nigeria.

Ehanire also noted that in recognition of the huge burden of Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria, the government of Nigeria over the years has instituted several strategic Interventions to address the challenges of the disease through the Federal Ministry of Health.”

“These strategic interventions include six centres of excellence for the control and management of Sickle Cell Disease were established across Nigeria in each geo-political zones with each equipped with HPLC and other complementary equipment and staff to serve as a hub for newborn screening.

“National guidelines for the prevention, control and management of Sickle Cell Disease including protocol for newborn screening were produced. Integration of the Non-Communicable Diseases including Sickle Cell Disease care and services into the primary healthcare services were initiated,” he said.

(Nigeria Tribune)