Fifty Sickle Cell Warriors Gain Health Insurance Coverage at Project Sickle Care

The Aghogho Sickle Cell Care Foundation, in collaboration with the Osun State Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) and the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), held its flagship outreach Project Sickle Care on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at the Star-Trinity Building, Ile-Ife. The event, attended by children, youth, adults, and elders, focused on improving healthcare access and awareness for people living with sickle cell disease (SCD).

The programme opened with a national prayer and inspiring remarks by Mr. Folahan Kilanko, who redefined the word “warriors” to celebrate the courage of individuals living with SCD.

In her welcome address, Ms. Aghogho Akpoyovwaire, Convener and Founder of the Aghogho Sickle Cell Care Foundation, thanked guests and partners for supporting the organisation’s mission to build a pain-free generation.

Key dignitaries included Pharm. Olasunkanmi Sunmonu, representing Dr. Razaq Akindele, Executive Secretary of OSHIA; Dr. Umar from the Department of Haematology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC); and representatives of the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), Ms. Esther Anolu and Ms. Oluwadamini Adesegha.

In his keynote address, Pharm. Sunmonu announced the sponsorship of thirty (30) additional health insurance slots by OSHIA, in addition to the twenty (20) already planned by Project Sickle Care, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to fifty.

He reaffirmed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to inclusive healthcare for all residents and encouraged young people to know their genotype before marriage, emphasizing that prevention is better and cheaper than lifelong management.

The NSSF delegate, Ms. Anolu Esther, commended Ms. Aghogho for her doggedness and outstanding performance in the We Naija Competition organized by NSSF as part of her programs to address Nigeria’s critical health challenges.

Dr. Umar delivered an engaging session on crisis management, preventive care, and new research developments in SCD. The interactive Q&A session, moderated by Professor Mojisola Cyril-Olutayo, Director of the Drug Research and Production Unit (DRPU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), addressed common concerns about crisis frequency, fetal hemoglobin variation, and home-based first-aid practices.

Alongside the educational sessions, medical teams from OAUTHC conducted free genotype testing, blood donation, and vital-sign checks, while selected beneficiaries completed their health insurance registration.

In her closing remarks, Professor Cyril-Olutayo, joined by Ms. Aghogho, expressed heartfelt gratitude to OSHIA, NSSF, and the Osun State Government for their partnership, describing the enrolment as “a landmark of hope, resilience, and sustained care for warriors.”