The Ministry of Health through the Social Health Authority (SHA) will integrate Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) into the national health financing framework to guarantee access to diagnostics, essential medicines, and blood transfusion services, while shielding affected families from catastrophic health costs.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said that Sickle Cell Disease remains one of the country’s most serious yet under-recognised public health challenges, with an estimated 14,000 children born with the condition each year.
Duale said that the Government is therefore deliberately elevating SCD as a national health priority requiring coordinated, urgent, and adequately resourced interventions.
The CS was speaking when he hosted the Chairperson of the Global Alliance of Sickle Cell Disease Organizations (GASCDO), Mr. Issa Abrahim Ali, alongside partners from the Sickle Cell Federation of Kenya, for a courtesy visit and bilateral engagement, marking a key milestone in Kenya’s collective resolve to improve the quality of life for individuals and families living with Sickle Cell Disease.
The engagement also reviewed efforts to strengthen early detection through the training of 107,000 Community Health Promoters using standardised SCD modules, with a focus on high-burden regions including Nyanza, Western, and the Coast.
In parallel, the Ministry is advancing clinical excellence through the revision of national SCD guidelines, expansion of universal newborn screening, and establishment of a National Sickle Cell Disease Registry to support evidence-based policy, planning, and research.
While more than 800 healthcare workers have already been trained, the Cabinet Secretary called for enhanced collaboration with GASCDO in specialised workforce development, mentorship, and knowledge exchange. The Government also welcomed partnerships to strengthen sustainable supply chains and address recurring shortages of essential medicines, including Hydroxyurea and Penicillin.
Duale further reaffirmed Kenya’s strong interest in hosting the 3rd Global Sickle Cell Conference in May 2026, noting that the event would provide a vital platform to elevate African perspectives and showcase the strength of South–South cooperation in advancing global SCD care.
Through this partnership with GASCDO, the Government remains committed to building a resilient and sustainable ecosystem of care that upholds equity, dignity, and improved long-term health outcomes for people living with Sickle Cell Disease.
The meeting was attended by the Director-General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth; Sickle Cell Federation of Kenya leadership led by Mr. James Opere (Chairperson) and Ms. Emily Gumba (CEO); and the Ministry’s Director of Family Health, Dr. Issak Bashir.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
