ABEOKUTA, Nigeria — A Nigerian public health expert has called for urgent national action to address the country’s staggering burden of sickle cell disease (SCD), warning that more than 150,000 babies are born with the condition each year — the highest figure globally.
Dr. Solomon Olorunfemi, a senior registrar in community medicine and primary care at the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta, said Nigeria must treat sickle cell not only as a medical emergency but as a societal challenge requiring coordinated intervention.
“Sickle cell is not a death sentence. It is a challenge, yes, but one we can defeat — one family at a time,” Olorunfemi said during a public health outreach in Ogun State.
Olorunfemi, who also leads the Dr. Olorunfemi Life Foundation, emphasized that the disease can be managed through early diagnosis, public education, and access to quality care. He urged the government to expand newborn screening programs and make genotype testing and pre-marital counseling a public health priority.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells become rigid and crescent-shaped, blocking blood flow and causing severe pain, chronic anemia, and organ damage. The most severe form, HbSS, is commonly known as sickle cell anemia. Other variants include HbSC and HbS beta-thalassemia.
Olorunfemi explained that when both parents carry the sickle cell trait (AS genotype), each child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting the disease. He stressed that many families continue to suffer due to ignorance or disregard for genetic counseling.
Symptoms typically begin in early childhood and include pain crises, fatigue, swelling of the hands and feet, frequent infections, and delayed growth. Without proper management, complications can include stroke, acute chest syndrome, kidney failure, and pregnancy-related risks.
While there is no universal cure, Olorunfemi said that many individuals with SCD are thriving — building families, pursuing careers, and becoming advocates. “These stories are proof that the disease, though painful, can become a platform for strength, faith, and resilience,” he said.
He called on schools, religious institutions, and community leaders to incorporate sickle cell education into their outreach efforts, saying that societal empathy and informed decision-making are key to transforming the narrative.
“Nigeria can no longer afford to ignore the burden of this disease,” Olorunfemi said. “We must start with education, move to prevention, and build a healthcare system that supports those living with it.”
