What Life Really Looks Like for Nigerians Battling Sickle Cell
By Hafsat Ibrahim,
Love is a language many speak, but only the heart truly understands. Only the one who wears the shoe knows where it pinches. In the same way, hope is the last gift a person clings to, and kindness—when given sincerely—is a quiet miracle.
We all wish for good health. It is often said that health is wealth because wellness shapes the quality of our lives. But sadly, not everyone is blessed with sound health. And for some, that reality begins from birth.
Sickle cell is a group of inherited blood disorders that distort the shape of red blood cells and cause them to break down. Some children are born with what is sometimes called a “weakness in the blood.”
This isn’t because their parents are careless. Often, the mother and father don’t even know they each carry the sickle cell trait—until their child inherits both and becomes a warrior.
For these children, life can be unpredictable. They face painful crises, frequent illness, and a lifelong battle to stay healthy. There is no known cure, but with proper care, these warriors can lead full and impactful lives.
Regular check-ups, access to medication, and monthly hospital visits can help them avoid complications and thrive. But this comes at a cost—one that many cannot afford. Sickle cell is not a death sentence.
It is not a curse. It is a test of endurance and purpose. But in Nigeria, the challenges faced by those living with sickle cell are many: the physical pain, the high cost of care, the emotional strain, and the isolation.
Yet they are often overlooked in our public health conversations. These warriors are not weak. They are vital members of our society, with dreams and potential that deserve to be supported, not sidelined.
Across the country, several foundations and associations have sprung up in response. Many focus on awareness, and some aim to prevent high-risk marriages. But not enough attention is given to those already living with the condition—especially those trapped in poverty.
They struggle to eat balanced meals, access medication, or pay for hospital services. Too many are quietly suffering. During a recent conversation with a sickle cell warrior, I was struck by how much they spend just to stay alive—hospital visits, medication, blood transfusions, healthy food.
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And these are the ones who can still afford it. What happens to those who cannot? Where do they turn? Sadly, sickle cell warriors are rarely included in national social support programmes.
Even during President Buhari’s administration, government initiatives for people with disabilities or genetic conditions did not account for sickle cell survivors. They have been left out for too long. But not anymore.
In response to this neglect, a group of young warriors created the “Salfar Sickle Aid Initiative (SSAI)”—a nonprofit organisation working to empower and support Nigerians living with sickle cell disease.
SSAI is doing what government has failed to do: creating an inclusive system of care that reaches beyond awareness to real, daily support. Their work includes education, advocacy, service delivery, and sustainable interventions.
They have launched several meaningful programmes, including the “Scholar Warriors Programme”, the “SkillUp Warriors Initiative”, the “SafeNet Support Scheme”, and the “SheStrong Warriors Programme”, which focuses on the unique needs of women.
Their goal is not just to help warriors survive, but to help them grow, lead, and thrive. This year’s “World Sickle Cell Day” was a landmark moment. SSAI hosted a powerful webinar titled, “Rising Strong Building Capacity for the Sickle Cell Journey from Challenges to Champions”.
The guest speaker urged warriors to turn their pain into purpose. Not to be defined by their struggle, but to rise above it and make an impact. It was a message of hope and empowerment—one that resonated deeply with everyone in attendance.
Even more inspiring, Nigerian music star Adekunle Gold, who is himself a sickle cell warrior, recently launched a “free health insurance scheme” for sickle cell patients in Lagos.
His initiative aims to ease the heavy financial burden of living with SCD and ensure more survivors receive the care they need to live long and meaningful lives. There is no doubt that the government must now step in.
It is time to support, encourage, and recognise these warriors not just in words but in policy and programmes. Their struggles are real. Their pain is constant. But so is their courage.
They are living proof that strength is not the absence of suffering, but the will to rise each day and keep going. They do not need pity. They need opportunity. They need inclusion. They need love backed by action.
Because every warrior has a story worth hearing and a life worth fighting for. As the saying goes, happiness belongs to those who think of others. And no act of kindness ever goes unrewarded.
