Africa CDC urges urgent action on sickle cell disease
By Chemtai Kirui || Kass Digital
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 26 – Africa’s health agency has called for urgent action on sickle cell disease (SCD), warning that most of the 300,000 babies born with the condition each year on the continent die before their fifth birthday despite the availability of cheap and effective treatments.
SCD is the world’s most common inherited blood disorder, concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa.
In Kenya, about 14,000 babies are born with the condition each year, according to health officials, many without timely diagnosis or treatment.
Survivors often face lifelong pain, disability and economic hardship, while the disease imposes a heavy toll on families and health systems.
“Sickle cell disease has silently devastated families across Africa for generations,” Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said.
“Every hour, 45 children are born with sickle cell disease in Africa, and most will not celebrate their 5th birthday because of limited access to early diagnosis, treatment, and support systems. This must change.”
Interventions such as newborn screening, immunisation, antibiotics, malaria prevention, and hydroxyurea therapy are proven to save lives, experts say.
“These interventions are feasible; they can be delivered using the existing systems in Africa, and we can afford them,” said Joseph Lubega, director for Texas Children’s Global HOPE. “What we need is leadership, support from partners, and commitment by all stakeholders to implement them.”
Africa CDC said its new initiative on sickle cell will build on its Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health Promotion Strategy (2022–2026) and advance earlier African Union commitments, including a 2005 World Health Assembly decision recognising the condition as a public health priority.
In 2025, Africa CDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Texas Children’s Global to improve child primary health care, expand access to diagnostics and medicines, and train health workers to respond better to childhood diseases.
The agency urged African Union member states to endorse the AU Common Position on Non-Communicable Diseases at the 2026 summit and finalise a continental strategy for sickle cell disease control by the end of 2025.
“Africa has shown before, in the fight against HIV/AIDS and during the COVID-19 pandemic, that when we act together, we can change the course of history,” Kaseya said. “Now is the time to do the same.”
