One in Four Nigerians Carries Sickle Cell Gene: Experts Demand Urgent Action
Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Health experts have issued a stark warning over Nigeria’s sickle cell burden, revealing that one in four citizens carries the gene while more than 150,000 babies are born annually with the disease.
The call came on Wednesday at a high-level meeting hosted by University of Abuja (now Yakubu Gowon University), where researchers and policymakers demanded urgent, coordinated reforms.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi described the crisis as “critical to millions,” warning that inadequate care continues to fuel preventable suffering.
A researcher from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Prof. Imelda Bates, highlighted the heavy financial burden on patients, many of whom rely on out-of-pocket payments.
“They are a vulnerable group facing enormous social and economic challenges,” she said.
Experts also identified stigma, late diagnosis and weak health systems as major barriers to care.
The initiative, under the PACTS programme, aims to strengthen diagnosis, expand access to treatment and improve survival outcomes across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
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