29/04/2026
The University's Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training( CESTRA), today organised the Patient -Centred Sickle Cell Disease Management in Sub-Saharan Africa( PACTS) consortium meeting with its research partners across three African countries and the United Kingdom.
The researchers and partners reviewed the ongoing efforts to improve care across the countries since the commencement of the study in the last four years.
Stakeholders in the sickle cell disease management called for immediate and coordinated action to tackle Nigeria’s worsening sickle cell burden, warning that thousands of lives remain at risk without stronger intervention.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, said Nigeria records about 150,000 births of children with sickle cell disease annually, noting that many face lifelong health challenges due to poor access to care, especially in rural areas.
The Co-Principal Investigator, and Nigeria Country Lead, Professor Obiageli Nnodu of the University explained that current research in the FCT is assessing treatment standards across six health facilities, involving about 300 patients. She noted that gaps in care and persistent stigma continue to hinder early diagnosis and treatment.
Co-Principal Investigator of PACTS, a researcher and haematologist with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Prof Imelda Bates said, “We are really focused on the patients with sickle cell disease, their families and their carers.
“We are trying to understand what their main problems are and talking to them about solutions they can put in locally that will be sustainable.”
