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A major new international study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, one of the world’s leading medical journals, has revealed that Nigeria carries the highest burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) globally, with an estimated over 1.5 million children under the age of 15 living with the condition.
The study shows that nearly nine million
children across sub-Saharan Africa are living with sickle cell disease in 2023,
including around 1.17 million infants and 2.75 million children under five, who
face the highest risk of early death without treatment.
Nigeria accounts for the largest share of this
burden, far exceeding other high-burden countries such as the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia. The findings highlight both the scale of
the challenge in Nigeria and the opportunity for the country to lead Africa in
tackling one of the most preventable causes of childhood illness and death.
The study was led by Professor Davies Adeloye,
Professor of Public Health at Teesside University, United Kingdom, and Director
of the International Society of Global Health (ISoGH), and analysed data from
40 studies across 22 African countries to produce the most comprehensive
country-level estimates of childhood sickle cell disease to date.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood
disorder present at birth. With early diagnosis and access to simple, low-cost
interventions such as newborn screening, penicillin prophylaxis, routine
vaccinations, malaria prevention, and hydroxyurea, most complications and
deaths can be prevented.
However, in Nigeria, access to these essential
services remains limited. Many children are only diagnosed after severe and
avoidable complications, while others are never diagnosed at all, contributing
to high levels of preventable illness and early childhood deaths.
Professor Adeloye said:
“Nigeria now stands at the centre of the global sickle cell crisis. With over
1.5 million children affected, the scale is enormous, but so is the opportunity
to act.
We already know what works. Newborn screening
and early treatment are effective, affordable, and can be delivered through
existing health systems.
If Nigeria prioritises sickle cell disease
within its national health agenda and integrates care into routine maternal and
child health services, we could save hundreds of thousands of young lives and
significantly reduce avoidable deaths.”
The researchers emphasise that strengthening
Nigeria’s health system response will be critical. This includes expanding
newborn screening programmes, improving access to essential medicines, and
integrating sickle cell care into primary healthcare services.
The study calls for urgent and coordinated
action across government, health institutions, and development partners,
including:
- Expanding newborn and early-childhood screening programmes
- Integrating sickle cell care into primary healthcare services
- Improving access to essential medicines and vaccines
- Increasing domestic investment alongside international support
- Strengthening national data and surveillance systems
The authors conclude that even modest
improvements in early-life screening and treatment in high-burden countries
like Nigeria could transform child survival and significantly reduce
preventable deaths.
The full study is published in The Lancet
Child & Adolescent Health and is available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(26)00048-9
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