Nigeria advocates for global fight against sickle cell disease
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In New York, during the 81st UN General Assembly, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, requested international collaboration to combat sickle cell disease (SCD).
Salako urged multilateral institutions, development partners, and the private sector to invest in Nigeria’s health systems to improve care for those with SCD.
He spoke at the launch of OneSCD, a global partnership intended to prioritize and address SCD, and emphasized the need to move from discussion to practical implementation. Nigeria co-hosted the event with Uganda, India, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, UNICEF, WHO, Africa CDC, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the World Coalition on SCD.
Salako explained that SCD impacts approximately 8 million people globally, with the majority residing in sub-Saharan Africa, and tragically, many children die before age five from complications that could be prevented. Nigeria faces a particularly high burden of the disease, with an estimated 150,000 to 180,000 babies born with SCD annually, making it a key health priority for the nation. The country is actively strengthening its response through a national program, a steering committee, and updated clinical guidelines.
Nigeria has also established six centers of excellence equipped with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) machines to aid in specialized diagnosis.
