FG considers introducing machine-based therapy for sickle cell treatment

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is considering the introduction of cutting-edge bedside manufacturing technology capable of producing life-saving treatments for sickle cell disease in the country.

During an engagement in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, revealed that the government is prioritizing frontier technologies to close the deadly gap in patient access.

Central to this vision is the localized deployment of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. Unlike traditional drugs, this treatment involves a sophisticated process where a patient’s own cells are re-engineered to combat genetic and blood-related disorders.

Historically, these advanced therapies have been trapped behind a wall of high costs and complex logistics, remaining almost entirely inaccessible across Africa.

However, by partnering with the global non-profit Caring Cross, Nigeria is exploring a decentralized model that utilizes specialized point-of-care machines. These systems act as localized laboratories, allowing hospitals to process and deliver gene therapies on-site, effectively bypassing the need for massive, multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical plants and expensive international shipping.

Dr. Boro Dropulic, CEO of Caring Cross, noted that Nigeria’s high burden of sickle cell disease particularly among children makes it the ideal environment to scale this affordable, machine-based approach.

This push is neatly tucked into the broader Presidential Initiative on Vaccine and Biologicals Production (PVAC), which seeks to transform Nigeria from a passive consumer of foreign medicine into an active hub for biological manufacturing.
In his remarks, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom characterized the potential arrival of this technology as an opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog traditional medical limitations.