Sickle Cell Prevention & Intervention Initiative

18/09/2026

When you hear “sickle cell,” what comes to mind?

For many people, the first thing is pain. And while pain crises are an important part of Sickle Cell Disease, they are not the whole story.

SCD can affect blood flow and oxygen delivery throughout the body, contributing to complications such as anaemia, fatigue, infections, and organ problems. Living with a chronic condition can also affect a person’s emotional, social, and financial wellbeing.

That’s why awareness must go beyond talking about pain.

See the person, not just the crisis. ❤️

📌 Save this post and share it to help someone understand sickle cell beyond pain.

10/09/2026

Before the aso-ebi, venue, invitations and wedding date—have the genotype conversation. 🧬

Premarital genetic counselling gives couples an opportunity to understand their genotypes, discuss possible inheritance patterns, and ask questions about having children.

It is not about creating fear or telling couples what decision to make. It is about providing accurate information so couples can make informed decisions about their future.

If you don't know your genotype, get tested. If you already know it, consider seeking genetic counselling to properly understand what it means.

❤️ Start the conversation early.

📩 Book or seek premarital genetic counselling from a qualified professional.

09/09/2026

Every child with sickle cell disease deserves a chance to live, thrive and reach their full potential. ❤️

SCI Initiative Nigeria welcomes and supports the World Health Organization’s efforts to expand access to lifesaving sickle cell treatment and care for children and adolescents.

Access to effective medicines should not depend on where a child is born, their family’s income, or their location.

We stand with WHO and partners in calling for:
✅ Early diagnosis and comprehensive care
✅ Affordable, quality-assured medicines
✅ Child-friendly treatment options
✅ Stronger health systems and sustained investment
✅ Equitable access to lifesaving sickle cell care

Together, we can move from surviving to thriving.

🌍 Preventing Suffering. Transforming Lives.

Sickle cell disease contributed to an estimated 81 100 deaths among children under five in 2021. WHO is working to close that gap, pairing updated clinical guidance with new efforts to make quality-assured, child-friendly medicines more widely available, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where nea...

08/09/2026

Sickle Cell Disease is not a curse. 🧬

It is a genetic condition that is inherited through genes passed from parents to their children.

We can respect cultural and spiritual beliefs while still choosing accurate medical information over stigma and blame.

No one living with sickle cell should be made to feel cursed, ashamed, or responsible for their condition.

❤️ Let’s replace stigma with understanding.

Share this post to help challenge misconceptions.

06/09/2026

AS + AS — what does it really mean? 🧬

If both parents have the AS genotype, there are different possible outcomes for each pregnancy:

25% AA • 50% AS • 25% SS

These are probabilities, not predictions or guarantees. Every pregnancy is a separate event.

Understanding your genotype can help you make informed decisions and seek proper genetic counselling when planning a family.

❤️ Knowledge should empower, not create fear.

Share this with someone who needs to understand genotype inheritance.

04/09/2026

Where does sickle cell come from? 🧬

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited condition. A child receives one haemoglobin gene from each parent, and the combination determines their genotype.

If both parents are AS
Each pregnancy has a:
25% chance — AA
50% chance — AS
25% chance — SS

What does this mean?
A child with SS has Sickle Cell Disease.
A child with AS carries the sickle cell gene.

Understanding how inheritance works can help us make informed decisions about our health and future.

📌 Save this post for later and share it with someone who needs to understand genotype inheritance.

02/09/2026

YOU CAN HELP US PREVENT SUFFERING. ❤️

Behind every person living with Sickle Cell Disease is a story—of strength, challenges, hospital visits, missed opportunities, and hope.

At SCI Initiative Nigeria, we are working to create a future where people living with sickle cell have access to better information, support, advocacy, and opportunities to thrive.

You can be part of that change.

🤝 PARTNER — Bring your organisation, skills, or resources.
💝 GIVE — Support initiatives that make a meaningful difference.
🙋🏽‍♀️ VOLUNTEER — Share your time, skills, and passion.

Together, we can do more than raise awareness.

We can help prevent suffering.

📩 Want to partner or volunteer?
Send us a DM or email us today.

31/08/2026

BEHIND EVERY WARRIOR IS A CAREGIVER ❤️

The person who stays through the hospital visits.
The one who worries, encourages, cooks, reminds, and supports.
The one who may quietly carry the emotional and financial weight of caregiving.

Caregivers often do this work behind the scenes, but their support matters deeply.

Today, we celebrate and appreciate every caregiver standing beside someone living with Sickle Cell Disease.

To every caregiver: We see you. We appreciate you. ❤️

👥 Tag a caregiver who deserves to hear this.

26/08/2026

5 SICKLE CELL MYTHS WE NEED TO STOP BELIEVING

Let’s bust the myths surrounding sickle cell. 🩸

Myth 1
“Sickle cell can be caught from someone.”
❌ MYTH

Sickle Cell Disease is not contagious.
You cannot catch it through touching, hugging, sharing food, or being around someone who has it.

Myth 2
“People with sickle cell are always sick.”
❌ MYTH

People living with sickle cell can work, study, have families, build careers, and live fulfilling lives.
Sickle cell is a condition—not the whole person.

Myth 3
“Sickle cell is just a pain problem.”
❌ MYTH

Pain crises are one complication, but sickle cell can affect multiple organs and systems in the body.

Myth 4
“People with sickle cell should avoid exercise.”
❌ MYTH

Physical activity can be possible for many people with sickle cell.
However, activity should be appropriate for the individual, with attention to hydration, rest, and avoiding extreme conditions.

Myth 5
“Sickle cell is caused by something the parents did.”
❌ MYTH

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited genetic condition.
It is not caused by poor parenting, food, lifestyle, or anything a parent did.

Let’s Bust the Myths
Misinformation can hurt. Knowledge can help. ❤️

Which of these myths did you once believe?

👇 Tell us in the comments.

25/08/2026

Do you know your genotype? 🧬

Knowing your genotype is an important part of understanding your health and making informed decisions about your future.

Don’t rely on assumptions or old information. Get tested and know for sure.

❤️ Know your genotype. Encourage someone else to know theirs too.