The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, has announced that Nigeria has commenced the expansion of sickle cell screening and management services across six designated centres of care as part of its national health commitment.
Pate made this known on Tuesday while addressing delegates from over 60 countries at the 5th Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease held in Abuja.
He described the gathering as timely, coinciding with Nigeria’s deepening implementation of the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“As we reposition healthcare from the ground up, beginning with the primary care level, a new national guideline for prevention and management has been adopted and updated,” Pate said.
Expanding access to life-saving Treatment
He further revealed that the federal government is collaborating with local pharmaceutical manufacturers to ensure affordable access to hydroxyurea, a key drug for managing sickle cell disease.
“Most significantly, I am pleased to announce that the Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training in Abuja will now be upgraded to an International Centre of Excellence serving not just Nigeria, but the West African sub-region and the global community,” Pate said.
He emphasized that the upgrade marks only the beginning of broader healthcare reforms. “As we strengthen our primary healthcare systems, we must also break the silence and stigma surrounding sickle cell disease, invest in awareness, promote early detection, and bring services closer to the people,” he noted.
Burden on Africa, limited global response
According to the minister, the burden of sickle cell disease is disproportionately carried by countries like Nigeria, yet the global response remains inadequate.
“That must change,” he declared.
Pate described sickle cell disease as one of the most prevalent yet neglected genetic disorders across the African continent.
He emphasized that in Nigeria, thousands of children are born with the condition each year, many of whom die prematurely from preventable complications such as severe anaemia and infections.
“This is not only a public health challenge; it is a social injustice,” he stated.
Low-cost interventions can save lives
According to the minister, the path to transformation is well defined. “Interventions such as newborn screening, early diagnosis, routine vaccination, and access to disease-modifying therapies like hydroxyurea can reduce child mortality from sickle cell disease by more than 80%,” he said.
He stressed that the cost of these interventions is low, the science is sound, and the tools are readily available.
“What we must now ensure is access and scale,” he emphasized.
Pate also called on subnational governments, African health ministries, research institutions, industry leaders, and development partners to move from words to action.
“Let us integrate sickle cell disease into national NCD strategies. Let us invest in the local manufacturing of essential commodities. Let us back our commitments with resources,” he urged.
He stated that sickle cell disease has been neglected for far too long.
