The Nigerian government has called on multilateral institutions, development partners, and the private sector to invest in country-owned systems to scale up the fight against sickle cell disease (SCD). Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the appeal at the launch of OneSCD – A Global Partnership to Advance Equity and Transform Sickle Cell Care, held on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Salako emphasized the need for coordinated action to move SCD from a neglected disease to a priority on the global health agenda.
Sickle cell disease affects almost 8 million people worldwide, with over 75 per cent of cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Many children with SCD die before age five from preventable complications. Nigeria bears the highest burden, with 150,000 to 180,000 babies born with the condition yearly. Salako stressed that addressing SCD is a national priority in child survival, maternal health, and universal health coverage. The government is strengthening its response through a national programme in the Federal Ministry of Health and a National SCD Steering Committee.
The Nigerian government, in collaboration with partners, is advancing integrated care pathways, including screening newborns and under-five children, confirming diagnosis, linking to treatment, and retaining them in care. Pilots are ongoing in Lagos, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through maternity, immunisation, and primary care services. Under President Bola Tinubu, six centres of excellence have been established and equipped with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) machines for specialised diagnosis.
Salako noted that the government is improving access to affordable diagnostics and medicines, strengthening supply chains, training health workers, and integrating SCD indicators into health information systems. The government is also pursuing sustainable financing through insurance and public-private partnerships. He emphasized that global response to SCD suffers from inequities, structural bottlenecks, and fragmentation.
The launch of OneSCD provides a mechanism to connect political leadership, technical expertise, lived experience, and financing. As a champion country, Nigeria has committed to integrating early intervention and comprehensive care for SCD into its national health systems. Salako welcomed participants to the event co-hosted by Nigeria, Uganda, India, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, UNICEF, WHO, Africa CDC, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the World Coalition on SCD.
Salako called on partners to align efforts, invest in country-owned systems, and help move proven interventions from pilots to national scale. He stressed that the launch of OneSCD must translate to on-ground implementation, rather than just being a ceremonial moment. Nigeria is ready to contribute, learn, and partner with others to address SCD.
The OneSCD partnership aims to advance equity and transform sickle cell care, with a focus on coordinated action, mutual accountability, and measurable progress. The goal is to ensure that a child’s place of birth no longer determines whether they survive and thrive with sickle cell disease.
Key points
- Nigeria bears the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world.
- The Nigerian government is strengthening its response to SCD through a national programme and clinical management guidelines.
- The launch of OneSCD aims to connect political leadership, technical expertise, lived experience, and financing to combat SCD.
