SCFN Calls for Collaboration to Tackle Sickle Cell

Bennett Oghifo

The Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), the world’s foremost nonprofit organisation dedicated to comprehensive sickle cell disorder (SCD) intervention, has said it needs the support of the government, private sector and international partners to stop the needless deaths from SCD,

The National Director, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Dr. Annette Akinsete, made this clarion call at a press conference marking the 2025 World Sickle Cell Day, at the National Sickle Cell Centre in Lagos, recently.

The Theme for World Sickle Cell Day 2025 is: “Access to New Therapies – Hope or Hype?”

According to Akinsete, “Nigeria bears 25% of the global sickle cell burden, with 150,000 affected births annually and 100,000 children dying before age five. Our integrated approach has proven effective, but achieving our goal of reducing SCD births and under-5 mortality by 80% by 2030 requires unprecedented collaboration with government, private sector, and international partners.”

Akinsete said her call for support “speaks to the pressing urgency of the situation we currently face in the sickle cell space. It is also hopeful, grounded in the belief that groups and organisations can unite and collaborate to bring sickle cell under control.

“There are moments in history when the world must pause, reflect, and act – not tomorrow, not eventually but now.”