Duale raises alarm as 250,000 Kenyans live with sickle cell
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has raised alarm over the growing burden of sickle cell disease in Kenya, revealing that an estimated 250,000 Kenyans are living with the condition, with about 14,000 affected children born every year. Speaking on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, during the opening of the three-day Global Sickle Cell Disease Conference in […]
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has expressed concern over the growing burden of sickle cell disease in Kenya, with an estimated 250,000 Kenyans living with the condition. The majority of affected individuals are born annually, with about 14,000 new cases. This disease, once limited to specific regions around Lake Victoria, Western Kenya, and the Coast, is now a national health concern that requires urgent and coordinated action.
Duale highlighted that while the burden is highest in certain regions, access to quality care should not depend on a child's birthplace or family's financial status. The conference, themed "Global Standards, Local Impact: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Across Systems and Communities," aims to enhance sickle cell care systems and communities across Kenya.
Brief written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
