Sickle Cell: Federal Government Set To Review Guideline

The Federal Government is set to review the guideline for Sickle Cell Disease in 2022 to improve on its treatment as the old one is obsolete.

Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire, who was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry Alayo Sopekan announced this in Abuja at the Sickle Pan African Consortium Nigeria Network, SPARC-NET two-day workshop. He added that Nigeria has the highest burden of sickle cell diseases globally.

Ehanire pointed out that over 150,000 babies are being born annually with the disease and 25 per cent of the adult populations of reproductive age are carrying the disease.

The Minister also said about 50 per cent of the babies die before their fifth birthday, adding that due to stigmatization, many patients hide children suffering from the disease and this makes it impossible to address. He however stressed that for Nigeria to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs 1, 3, 4 and 10, it must address the issue of sickle cell disease.

Also, Director of University of Abuja Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell research and training Obiageli Nnodu said the current curative therapy available for SCD is bone marrow transplantation. He added that it has the drawbacks of exorbitant cost outside the reach of most patients, and only two or three centres offer such service in the country.