A BMJ Global Health analysis identifies actionable priorities for expanding sickle cell treatment capacity across Africa. First, infrastructure readiness remains geographically concentrated—only South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya currently possess established transplantation centers and research partnerships capable of supporting advanced therapies. This regional limitation necessitates targeted investment in secondary hubs.
Second, treatment costs exceeding 2 million dollars per patient demand innovative financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships to ensure affordability and sustainability. Third, establishing regional training centers can accelerate workforce development and laboratory accreditation, enabling broader facility capability across the continent.
These practical interventions address the fundamental barriers preventing millions of eligible patients from accessing transformative gene therapies. Healthcare systems must prioritize cold chain infrastructure, quality assurance frameworks, and specialized personnel training. Coordinated investment in these three domains could substantially improve treatment accessibility within five to ten years, fundamentally reshaping sickle cell care delivery across Africa.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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