Infant Mortality: FG Inaugurates Sickle Cell Centre in LASUTH 

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

As part of efforts to tackle sickle cell disease contributing to approximately 376,000 under-5 deaths in Nigeria annually, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has donated a fully equipped, state-of-the-art Sickle Cell Care Centre to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The Centre commissioned by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday is designed to cater to the needs of the numerous Sickle Cell patients who visit the hospital daily.

Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that the centre would provide comprehensive care, including early diagnosis, advanced treatment, and continued management for children suffering from the debilitating condition. He emphasized that the centre will serve as a hub for research and education, fostering greater awareness and understanding of sickle cell disease.

“This will not only transform our total healthcare landscape but will also add to the number of childcare facilities that already exist in our state health institutions. It will raise the capacity of the state’s medical services and, very importantly, contribute to improving the state’s infant and maternal mortality index,” he said.
The governor commended OSSAP-SDGs, noting that the centre would provide an environment where children could receive holistic care tailored to their needs, from medical treatment to psychological support.

“We believe that this will ensure that every child that has an opportunity to come to this facility will come out healthier, better, and be able to fulfill their life,” he added.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, described the project as part of the efforts to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

 She stated that the centre would enhance the quality of care for children with Sickle Cell Disease, aiming to reduce under-5 mortality and support the attainment of the SDGs in Nigeria.
According to her, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared sickle cell disease a global public health concern and encouraged countries with high disease burdens to establish newborn screening programs for early detection and evidence-based interventions.

Princess Orelope-Adefulire noted that, “In August 2023, a Lancet Haematology publication revealed that globally, between 2000 and 2021, the rate of children born with sickle cell disease increased by 13.7 percent, reaching an average of up to 515,000 babies per annum. The study also found that sickle cell-specific under-5 mortality was 11 times higher than deaths due to other causes, amounting to approximately 376,000 deaths from sickle cell disease annually compared to 34,400 deaths from other causes.