The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Sickle Cell Awareness Initiative Ireland-Nigeria (SCAIIN) have collaborated to launched a landmark Sickle Cell Awareness and Advocacy Flagship programme in the nine states of the region.

It was gathered that the partnership aimed to promote public health, drive awareness, and mobilise resources to address sickle cell, which had become a pressing public health challenge in the Niger Delta region.

The event, held at the NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, aimed to bridge the gap in sickle cell disease management and care.

In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said that the project was a collective responsibility to promote public health, drive awareness, and mobilise resources to address sickle cell disease as a regional priority.

Ogbuku noted that sickle cell disease affects thousands of individuals and families in the Niger Delta, with many lacking access to early diagnosis, counseling, and treatment.

He said the country bore a significant burden of the disease, with approximately three per cent of the population affected and about 150,000 babies born with the condition annually.

Ogbuku said that the partnership between NDDC and SCAIIN included community outreach, genetic screening, education, blood drives, and high-level advocacy.

He explained that the initiative would save lives and lay the groundwork for long-term prevention, research, and care, assuring that the NDDC remained committed to investing in programmes that directly improved the health and wellbeing of the people of the Niger Delta.

He said: “NDDC remains committed to investing in programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the Niger Delta. As we collaborate with our partners, healthcare providers, and the broader public, I am confident that this initiative will not only save lives but also lay the groundwork for long-term prevention, research, and care.

“On behalf of the Niger Delta Development Commission, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have contributed to making this vision a reality. Together, we reaffirm our shared mission: to build healthier, stronger communities for today and for generations to come.”

Ogbuku expressed gratitude to all those who had contributed to making this vision a reality, emphasising that the project was a meaningful step forward in combining community outreach, genetic screening, education, blood drives, and high-level advocacy under a comprehensive initiative.

In her address, Esther Pepple Onolememen, Clinical Psychotherapist and Founder of SCAIIN, explained that the project was to address the growing burden of sickle cell disease in the Niger Delta region.

She said the initiative, supported by the NDDC, would increase awareness, provide genetic screening, train healthcare professionals, and empower families with the necessary education and tools.

Onolememen noted that the journey began nearly 25 years ago when her daughter, Reme, suffered a stroke at just eight months old due to complications from sickle cell disorder.

She said the life-altering experience sparked her advocacy work and led her to co-found SCAIIN, the Sickle Cell Society Ireland, and the Umoja Africa Sickle Cell Consortia (UMASCCO), a Pan-African platform of nearly 40 countries.

Onolememen emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing the growing burden of sickle cell disease.

She said, “We cannot ignore the statistics. We cannot ignore the stories. This must change. The NDDC’s support has been instrumental in facilitating this initiative, demonstrating the impact of institutional and community collaboration.

In his welcome address, Dr. George Uzonwanne, Director of Education, Health, and Social Services at NDDC, described the initiative as a deeply meaningful step towards restoring dignity, understanding, and hope to countless lives affected by sickle cell disease.

“Caring for people living with hereditary conditions like sickle cell disorder is not just a healthcare duty, but a moral calling,” he said.

He said the NDDC’s support for the initiative was part of its broader efforts to build a Niger Delta that heals, understands, and never leaves its own behind.

He said that by working together, stakeholders could make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease, ultimately creating a brighter future for the region.