Kenya will introduce compulsory sickle cell disease (SCD) screening during routine maternal and child health visits in a nationwide push to curb the high toll of the inherited blood disorder.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga announced the move in New York on Wednesday while representing President William Ruto at a high-level event on sickle cell disease during the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Oluga warned that sickle cell continues to claim lives silently, with thousands of African children dying each year from a disease that is both preventable and treatable.
He described Kenya’s situation as dire, revealing that around 14,000 babies are born with the condition annually, and up to 90 percent of them die before their fifth birthday.
“Mandatory screening will ensure that no child is left behind,” Oluga said, highlighting the government’s commitment to early detection and intervention.
Kenya has already put in place a framework to fight the disease, including the National Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Sickle Cell Disease (2021) and the Policy Guidelines for Infant Screening (2023).
Oluga said these measures have institutionalised early detection and lifesaving care across health facilities.
To ease the burden of treatment, the government has also created three new health funds — the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund — aimed at guaranteeing routine care for patients without heavy out-of-pocket expenses.
The New York meeting, convened by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), brought together policymakers, ministers and health experts, who pledged to intensify efforts against sickle cell across the continent.
Sickle cell disease is one of Africa’s leading genetic conditions. It distorts red blood cells into stiff, crescent-like shapes that block blood flow, causing severe pain, frequent infections and organ damage.
Experts recommend premarital or early-life screening, but stigma, poor awareness and limited access to diagnostic services remain major obstacles.
Kenya’s decision to integrate mandatory testing into routine maternal and child care marks a significant policy shift that health advocates say could save thousands of lives in the coming years.
