By Ivyn Kipruto
Kenya has pledged to make sickle cell screening compulsory during routine maternal and child health visits, in a bold move to curb preventable deaths linked to the disease.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga, speaking on behalf of President William Ruto at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, said, the initiative aims to ensure every child is screened early and given access to lifesaving care.
He condemned the long-standing neglect of sickle cell disease across Africa, stressing that millions continue to suffer in silence. In Kenya, about 14,000 children are born with the condition each year, with up to 90 per cent dying before their fifth birthday.
Dr Oluga cited progress already made, including the country’s first National Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Sickle Cell Disease in 2021 and the Policy Guidelines for Infant Screening in 2023, which have established systems for early detection and treatment.
To eliminate financial barriers, he outlined the government’s rollout of three new health funds the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund to cover routine care for sickle cell patients without out-of-pocket costs.
The high-level meeting, convened by Africa centre for Disease Control(Africa CDC) , brought together ministers, policymakers and global health leaders to galvanise action against sickle cell disease across the continent.
