Good day 
Today, I’ll be sharing my experience from an event I attended yesterday with fellow sickle cell warriors.
As part of its efforts to bring hope and relief to people living with sickle cell disorder in the Kwara State capital, Ilorin, Building Hope for Sickle Cell Foundation registered 105 sickle cell warriors under the state’s health insurance scheme yesterday.
The state government allocated 250 slots for sickle warriors to register for health insurance, which is a laudable initiative. 205 of us registered yesterday; the remaining will too before the week runs out. And seriously, even though 250 is a great figure, I'm sure some late-coming sickle warriors won't make the list.
Nigeria is often described as the sickle cell headquarters of the world, with the highest prevalence of this chronic blood disorder. Yet, sadly, very little is being done by the government to prioritise awareness or provide better healthcare for sufferers, unlike what is obtainable in other countries.
The statistics of sickle cell in Nigeria are both scary and heartbreaking. Yet every day, we still have couples bringing children into the world with the condition, mainly due to ignorance, misinformation, laboratory misdiagnosis, or blind love that ignores medical compatibility.
About 3% of Nigeria’s population lives with sickle cell disorder, that is, over 20 million people, the highest number globally. In addition, another 25% of Nigerians are carriers (those with genotypes AS and AC). Without proper education and awareness, many more children will continue to be born with this preventable condition.
Each year, approximately 150,000 babies are born with sickle cell in Nigeria, and sadly, about 80% of them do not live to see their fifth birthday due to ignorance, poor management, and financial hardship.
That’s why individuals and organisations like the Building Hope for Sickle Cell Foundation are stepping in to provide access to healthcare through the state’s insurance policy, easing the financial burden on patients, parents, and caregivers.
Living with the condition myself, I can tell you firsthand, it’s no child’s play. From stigma to rejection, loss of employment, and even being deemed unworthy of love, we face it all, simply because of a condition that was never our choice.
Image gotten from Sickle Cell Advocacy IG page
It broke my heart to see over a hundred warriors gathered yesterday for registration, most of whom came from low-income backgrounds. It made me wonder about the fate of many other innocent warriors who may never get such opportunities.
Sickle cell is a lifelong condition that comes with several complications, such as stroke, kidney issues, avascular necrosis, leg ulcers, priapism, spleen damage, vision problems, chronic anaemia, and organ damage, among others.
So please,
Thank you for reading. Have a great day!
Cheers