Why Nigeria remains the global epicentre zone of sickle cell

Ibukun Esther* had just received two pints of blood and her pale face reflected the ordeal of having to live as a sickle cell patient.

“It’s a terrible disease,” she tells The Africa Report. Esther* from the hospital where she was admitted a few days back. It is a usual occurrence, but she is more broken by the poor reception by the medical workers and the huge cost of medications.

Ignorance aids the growth

Sickle cell disease is an inherited group of disorders that decimate red blood cells. The damaged haemoglobin (red blood cells) results in poor blood oxygen levels that further lead to obstruction in the blood vessel. Ultimately, patients suffering from the disease feel extreme pain in different parts of their body, with an (increasing) severe bacteria infection.

According to WHO, every year, 300,000 babies are born with the sickle cell globally and Nigeria accounts for 50% of that