Nigeria's Health Minister Calls for Global Action on Sickle Cell

On Wednesday, during the launch of OneSCD – A Global Partnership to Advance Equity and Transform Sickle Cell Care at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Nigeria's Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, urged global collaboration to enhance the fight against sickle cell disease (SCD). He highlighted the need for multilateral institutions, development partners, and the private sector to invest in Nigeria's health systems.

Salako noted that SCD affects nearly 8 million people globally, with Nigeria bearing the highest burden, as 150,000 to 180,000 babies are born with the condition annually. He emphasized the importance of moving from discussions to actionable implementation, mentioning Nigeria's initiatives like the National SCD Steering Committee and ongoing pilots in Lagos, Kano, and FCT.

Under President Bola Tinubu, six centres of excellence have been established for specialized diagnosis, and the government is working on improving access to diagnostics and treatment while integrating SCD indicators into health systems.