Nigeria Seeks Global Partnership Against Sickle Cell

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government has canvassed global partnership to scale up fight against sickle cell disease (SCD), urging multilateral institutions, development partners and private sector to invest in country-owned systems.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the call on Wednesday 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 said the launch is moving SCD from a neglected disease to the front burner and must translate to on-ground implementation.

“I call on multilateral institutions, development partners, philanthropies, researchers and the private sector to align efforts, invest in country-owned systems, and help to move proven interventions from pilots to national scale.

“The launch of OneSCD is moving SCD from a neglected disease to the front burner. It must be more than a ceremonial moment as we double up to move from talk attention to on ground implementation attention.

“Let this launch be for coordinated action, mutual accountability and measurable progress – so that a child’s place of birth no longer determines whether that child survives and thrives with sickle cell disease. Nigeria is ready to contribute, to learn and to partner,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of Nigeria, 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.

He said SCD affects almost 8 million people worldwide, with over 75 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, many dying before age five from preventable complications.

Nigeria, he said, bears the highest burden, with 150,000 to 180,000 babies born with the condition yearly, making it a national priority in child survival, maternal health and universal health coverage.

He said Nigeria is strengthening its response through a national programme in the Federal Ministry of Health, a National SCD Steering Committee and clinical management guidelines.

“Government, with partners, is advancing integrated care pathways – screening newborns and under-five children, confirming diagnosis, linking to treatment including hydroxyurea, and retaining them in care. Pilots are ongoing in Lagos, Kano and 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,” he said.

Salako said the government is improving access to affordable diagnostics and medicines, strengthening supply chains, training health workers and integrating SCD indicators into health information systems, while pursuing sustainable financing through insurance and public-private partnerships.

He noted that global response suffers from inequities, structural bottlenecks and fragmentation, hence OneSCD provides a mechanism to connect political leadership, technical expertise, lived experience and financing.

As a champion country, Nigeria committed to integrate early diagnosis across primary to tertiary levels, strengthen accountability through data and financing, centre patients and families in policy, and share lessons across global health agendas.