The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja (formerly University of Abuja), Prof. Patricia Lar, has emphasised that prevention remains the most effective strategy in the fight to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in Nigeria.
Lar made the statement on Tuesday in Abuja during a public lecture themed “The Evolving Therapeutic Landscape in Sickle Cell Disease.”
She was represented by Prof. Tiitus Ibekwe, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, at the event organised by the university’s Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training (CESRTA), in collaboration with the College of Health Sciences.
She stressed the importance of partner compatibility before marriage, noting that avoiding unions between incompatible genotypes could significantly reduce the occurrence of the disease.
“If we maintain this precautionary measure over time, we will be able to eliminate SCD or reduce it to a minimum worldwide,” Lar said.
While acknowledging that current treatment strategies focus on managing the disease to improve patients’ quality of life, she highlighted recent therapeutic breakthroughs such as bone marrow transplants and gene therapy.
Lar noted that gene therapy represents the future of SCD treatment by modifying the sickle cell gene to behave like a normal gene.
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Nigeria Bears the Highest Global Burden
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Maureen Achebe, Clinical Director of Hematology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, revealed that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of SCD, with 150,000 of the 300,000 annual births with the disease occurring in the country.
She described the situation as alarming, citing an under-five mortality rate of 50–80 percent due to late diagnosis and poor access to care.
“These babies look normal at birth. Newborn screening helps identify those with SCD early so they can receive care and therapy to live normal lives,” Achebe said.
She called for urgent implementation of newborn screening programmes and emphasised preventive care, including vaccination, folic acid supplementation, and protection from infections such as malaria and pneumonia.
She also noted that hydroxyurea, administered daily, has proven to increase life expectancy among patients.
However, Achebe acknowledged that while emerging treatments like bone marrow transplants and gene therapy offer hope, they remain costly and inaccessible for many.
She called for increased funding from both the Ministries of Health and Finance to support early diagnosis and care.
“People should know their genotype and talk about it when choosing a partner. This is crucial to stopping the cycle,” she said, while debunking common myths that link SCD to witchcraft or spiritual attacks.
UniAbuja Centre Upgraded to National Centre of Excellence
Prof. Obiageli Nnodu, Director of CESRTA and Co-Chair of the 5th Global Congress on SCD, highlighted the role of the centre in conducting both clinical and translational research to bridge treatment gaps.
“CESRTA was established in 2015 and has made significant progress in finding safer and more affordable remedies for SCD,” she said.
Nnodu announced that following the success of the recent Global Congress on SCD, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, upgraded CESRTA to a National Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training.
She noted that the centre offers skill development and maintains strong national and international collaborations aimed at improving care for individuals living with SCD globally.
The event brought together academics, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers, all united by the goal of reducing the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria and beyond.
NAN