Faced with the burden of sickle cell disease, which affects 20 to 30% of carriers of the trait in Cameroon, GEDREPACAM is taking stock of the 2025-2030 national plan. Despite the extension of neonatal screening to the West and South, the plan’s deficit of 4.39 billion and the cost of care (up to 100,000 FCFA/month) are hindering treatment.
During the work, emphasis was placed on strategies for accessing financing.One and a half years after the historic adoption of the National Strategic Plan for the Fight against Sickle Cell Disease (PNSDré 2025-2030) in February 2025, it is time for an evaluation. Meeting at the PRODIGES Hotel in Mfou on the occasion of World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, 2026, the Ministry of Public Health, the Cameroon Sickle Cell Disease Study Group (GEDREPACAM) and their technical partners took stock of the first 18 months of implementation of this priority action plan, estimated at 4.39 billion FCFA for its first three-year period (2025-2027).At the heart of this dynamic, GEDREPACAM has established itself as the leading civil technical player, multiplying concrete advances on the ground despite a limited budgetary context.Newborn screening is gaining ground: Ebolowa and Foumban at the forefrontGEDREPACAM’s main achievement in 2025 and 2026 lies in the significant expansion of its neonatal screening program. Long confined to the major cities of Yaoundé and Douala, this vital service has been successfully rolled out to new regions. Newborns can now be tested immediately after birth at the regional hospitals in Bafoussam, Bafang, Ebolowa, and the Foumban regional annex hospital.These advances finally allow us to map the epidemiological reality of the disease. Dr. Suzanne Belinga, Secretary General of GEDREPACAM, notes some worrying indicators: « We can already see that in Foumban in particular, and also in Ebolowa, the incidence of sickle cell disease seems to be higher than in other regions. » Initial statistics reveal an alarming rate of carriers of the sickle cell trait (SC): it reaches 22% in Foumban (nearly a quarter of the population) and approximately 20% in Ebolowa, compared to 15% in the other initial areas. This situation fully justifies the urgent need for a decentralized response to curb transmission.The financial and therapeutic burdens of careWhile diagnostics are improving, daily treatment remains a struggle. The current situation reveals significant regional disparities in costs. In the West, families spend an average of up to 100,000 FCFA per month to treat a sick person, while the national average is 51,000 FCFA per month. Compared to the average Cameroonian household income, this financial burden is overwhelming.From a medical standpoint, treatment relies on strict guidelines (hydration, infection prevention through vaccination, and daily intake of Penicillin V and folic acid). However, long-term treatment to drastically reduce painful vaso-occlusive crises and red blood cell destruction is sorely lacking. Hydroxyurea (marketed under the brand name Hydrea), which costs approximately 10,000 FCFA per month, is in critical shortage. « This medication is not included in Cameroon’s list of essential medicines, » laments Dr. Belinga, who announces renewed advocacy efforts with the Ministry of Public Health to guarantee its availability and affordability.Shared challenges at the sub-regional levelThe challenges faced by Cameroon resonate with the analyses of Gerbin Singbo, project manager for the fight against sickle cell disease in West Africa, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire. Evaluating the second phase of their respective projects, he emphasizes that improving training and awareness requires harmonized assessment tools for all stakeholders. Universal access to information remains the cornerstone for ensuring that pediatric and adult protocols are applied equitably.For Cameroon, the objective by 2030 is clear: to reduce by 25% the incidence of the disease and premature mortality that currently disproportionately affects children under 5. GEDREPACAM has proven its technical effectiveness on the ground; all that remains is to translate political advocacy into sustainable funding so that the National Plan does not remain a dead letter.
Interview :Professor Françoise Ngo Sack
« To have sickle cell disease, both parents must carry hemoglobin S. »
In an interview with our editorial staff, Professor Françoise Ngo Sack, head of the hematology department at the Yaoundé General Hospital, presents sickle cell disease, outlines prevention measures and shares her advice for living better with this disease.
Professor, first of all, what is sickle cell disease?Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Due to this abnormality, the deformed hemoglobin alters the very structure of the red blood cell, which takes on a sickle shape. This rigidity blocks blood flow in small blood vessels, causing very painful vascular blockages. Furthermore, this deformed red blood cell is extremely fragile: it breaks down rapidly, leading to severe anemia. Finally, the localized lack of oxygen promotes the growth of certain bacteria. Sickle cell disease thus rests on a three-pronged pathological framework: intense pain, anemia, and infections.What are the early warning signs in young children?The first signs usually appear in infants between 3 and 6 months of age. The child cries inconsolably, and their hands and feet begin to swell: this is known as hand-foot syndrome. Severe anemia and a distended abdomen are also frequently observed. Mothers sometimes say colloquially that « the spleen is drinking the child’s blood. » In reality, since the spleen acts as a filter for the body, it increases in size (splenomegaly) because it is massively destroying these abnormal red blood cells. Faced with these warning signs, it is essential to perform hemoglobin electrophoresis to check for the presence of hemoglobin S.How important is early detection?Newborn screening (right from birth) changes everything. Diagnosed early and receiving appropriate care, a child with sickle cell disease can absolutely have a good quality of life. The main benefit is educating the child and their family: as they grow up, the patient learns to recognize their own limitations, manages their illness on a daily basis, and knows exactly when to call for help.Why is electrophoresis testing crucial before marriage or conception?Traditionally, it’s recommended to do this test before marriage, but in reality, many couples conceive children outside of marriage. That’s why I emphasize the importance of taking this test before having children. For a child to be born with homozygous sickle cell disease (SS), both parents must carry the hemoglobin S gene. If both partners are healthy carriers (the AS profile), they have a one in four (25%) chance, with each pregnancy, of giving birth to a child with SS.How do you manage the pain and what are your tips for daily life?Management relies on strict medical protocols and thorough patient and family education. At home, we advise people with sickle cell disease to drink plenty of water, dress warmly, avoid sudden temperature changes, stress, and high altitudes or confined spaces where oxygen is scarce. All these factors contribute to red blood cell deformation. If a crisis occurs despite these precautions, level 1 and 2 analgesics can manage the pain at home. In the hospital, if home pain medication is insufficient, immediate medical attention is necessary to receive more intensive and appropriate treatment.What complications do you fear the most?One of the major complications is stroke. Deformed red blood cells can block blood vessels anywhere, including in the brain.The second critical complication is acute chest syndrome. The patient experiences severe chest pain. Because of the pain, their breathing becomes shallow or rapid. In someone whose oxygen transport is already impaired, this underventilation dramatically worsens the situation. It is a frequent cause of death that we monitor very closely.How is pregnancy managed in patients with sickle cell disease?Today, people with sickle cell disease are reaching adulthood and legitimately aspire to start a family. As soon as a woman with sickle cell disease becomes pregnant, her care must immediately become multidisciplinary. Close collaboration between the hematologist, the obstetrician-gynecologist, and the anesthesiologist-intensivist is essential. Even for a healthy woman, pregnancy is a physical challenge; for a patient with sickle cell disease, it is a true challenge. Pregnancy can worsen sickle cell disease, and sickle cell disease can jeopardize the pregnancy.We are seeing a proliferation of miracle cures on the market. Is there a curative treatment available today?It would be wonderful to have therapies capable of directly correcting defective genes; this would solve the problem of all genetic diseases. However, I remain very skeptical. While our traditional medicine contains plants that can improve patients’ quality of life, I strongly doubt it can cure the disease. To date, I have not seen any validated and commercially available curative treatment.In conclusion, what message do you have for the public and the authorities?The essential message is that sickle cell disease is not a death sentence. The common misconception that someone with sickle cell disease cannot live long is false. This taboo must be broken. I know patients who are now parents, grandparents, who have had successful careers and are now retired.People with autism need to accept themselves, and society needs to stop stigmatizing them. It’s not a contagious disease. Finally, everyone needs to know their own electrophoretic status. I refuse to forbid two people with autism from loving or being together, but I do hold them accountable: they must be fully aware of the risks and ask themselves if they are prepared to bear the suffering of a child prone to frequent seizures.
