The Nigerian government has been urged to enhance emergency services for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) to ensure rapid and compassionate response, as well as to expand the coverage of the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) to include those living with SCD.
This call aligns with the 2024 World Sickle Cell Day, themed “Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Globally.”
Given that SCD remains a major health issue in Nigeria, with an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 births annually affected by the disease, health experts and advocates are actively seeking solutions to lower its prevalence.
A 2019 study by hematologists found that Cross River State has the highest SCD prevalence rate, comparable to the national average.
