By Mercy Gadia
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality sickle cell care for all Nigerians, regardless of location, income or social status.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this during the 2026 World Sickle Cell Day press briefing held in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme, “Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Care,” Pate, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, described sickle cell disease as a major public health challenge requiring urgent and sustained intervention.
He said, “Nigeria remains the country with the highest burden of sickle cell disease globally, with about 25 per cent of adults carrying the gene and an estimated 100,000 infants dying annually from complications.”
The minister lamented that despite medical advances, many patients still face barriers to diagnosis and treatment, leading to avoidable deaths and poor quality of life.
He noted that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the government is strengthening the health system through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative to improve access, financial protection and health outcomes.
Pate listed key interventions to include the rollout of a Universal Newborn Screening Policy in selected health facilities in Lagos, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory, with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
According to him, “We have also reviewed national guidelines to strengthen evidence-based care, including Hydroxyurea therapy, and commenced training of primary healthcare workers, starting from the South-West.”
He added that six Centres of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease have been established across the geopolitical zones, equipped with advanced diagnostic tools such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography machines.
The minister further disclosed that the government had adopted Sicklescan, an innovative point-of-care testing technology designed to improve early diagnosis.
He said sickle cell services were also being integrated into primary healthcare and the Nigeria Package of Essential Non-Communicable Disease Interventions to enhance community-level access.
Pate added that efforts were ongoing to include newborn screening and subsidised treatment in the National Health Insurance Authority benefit package.
“The Federal Government remains firmly committed to strengthening prevention, expanding access to quality care and improving outcomes,” he said.
In his welcome remarks, the Director of Public Health, Dr Charles Nzelu, warned that only about 50 per cent of children born with sickle cell disease survive beyond the age of five.
“The best way to control the disease is prevention. Nigerians must know their genotype and seek genetic counselling before marriage,” he advised.
Also speaking, Prof. Obiageli Nnodu of the University of Abuja said over 38,000 babies had been screened in the FCT, while a national registry now tracks more than 10,000 patients.
She added that over 700 genetic counsellors had been trained nationwide to strengthen patient care and awareness.
Stakeholders, including pharmaceutical firms and development partners, pledged continued support towards reducing the burden of the disease.
In his vote of thanks, the National Coordinator for Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Alayo Sopekan, commended partners such as the World Health Organisation and the Clinton Health Access Initiative for their contributions.