Nigeria: Highest Rates of Sickle Cell Disease in the World

By Emily Bong – 29 June 2017

“I am inspired by people living with SCD and other health conditions in Nigeria who face unimaginable obstacles trying to survive. Living in Nigeria is very stressful for able bodied persons, but living with a disease, disability or physical challenge is a hundred times worse.”

– Bukola Bolarinwa, Partner of Sickle Cell Aid Foundation¹

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), the most common blood disorder in the world, requires daily care and can cause major problems and long-term disability. Africa has the highest prevalence rates, with 20 – 30% in countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Ghana.² Nigeria has the highest number of people suffering from SCD in the world, according to Dr. Bosede Afolabi, a specialist practitioner who has dedicated much of her working life to studying the disease and how it affects pregnant women and their babies. Over 150,000 children are born with SCD in Nigeria each year and about 40 million people suffer total.³

The Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics describe SCD as an inherited disease that changes the way hemoglobin is made in a person’s body. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Normal red blood cells are round and soft, but with SCD they become shaped like a sickle, or the letter C. The sickled cells then can block blood flow which causes pain and damage to key organs such as the heart, brain and lungs. Other problems that may ensue include^4:

•  Anemia: tiring easily, breathing problems, slower growth and later puberty
• Hand-foot syndrome: fever, pain, swelling, and coldness in the hands and feet caused by blocked blood flow
• Stroke: from blocked blood cells to the brain
• Visionary problems

The problems occurring due to SCD can severely interfere with education, work, psychosocial development, and basic survival. In most severe forms of the disease, children die before the age of five. Unfortunately, systematic screening is not a common practice and severe complications usually cause diagnosis instead.² Healthcare Trends hopes to reduce fatalities in children under five in developing countries such as Nigeria. Routine screenings for SCD could save many lives and increase quality of life for those with SCD. While no cure exists, early detection may prevent serious complications and patients with SCD and their families can obtain information on how to manage the disease. In a population with such high rates of SCD, early detection can help Africans overcome one more obstacle.

References:

1. Nescafe. (2017). “Bukola Bolarinwa Is Raising Awareness For Nigerians With Sickle Cell Disease.” Konbini. http://www.konbini.com/ng/inspiration/bukola-bolarinwa-is-raising-awareness-for-nigerians-with-sickle-cell-disease/
2. WHO Africa. Sickle cell disease prevention and control. http://www.afro.who.int/en/nigeria/nigeria-publications/1775-sickle%20cell%20disease.html
3. Duthiers, Vladmir. (2017, March). “Nigerian doctor fighting killer blood disease.” CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/africa/bosede-afolabi-sickle-cell-anemia/index.html
4. March of Dimes. (2014). “Sickle cell disease and your baby.” http://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/sickle-cell-disease-and-your-baby.aspx