Bukola Bolarinwa Is Raising Awareness For Nigerians With Sickle Cell Disease

Last year, the national director of the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria revealed that about 150,000 children are born with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) annually in the country – the highest across the globe.

Driven by that statistic and her personal experience with SDC, Bukola Bolarinwa joined her friend Nkechi Azinge as a partner to run Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) – a non-governmental organisation established to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and related health conditions.

In 2015, Bukola then founded Haima Health Initiative (HHI) as a platform to link patients to blood donors and to encourage the culture of voluntary blood donations in young people. She started it because her sickle cell beneficiaries constantly needed blood transfusions and had a hard time finding donors.

Speaking with The Guardian about what inspires her advocacy, Bukola said:

“I am inspired by people living with SCD and other health conditions in Nigeria who face unimaginable obstacles trying to survive.

Living in Nigeria is very stressful for able bodied persons, but living with a disease, disability or physical challenge is a hundred times worse.”

In 2012, SCAF started the Know Your Genotype Campaign (KYGC) which involves carrying out free genotype tests, counselling and sensitisation in Nigeria.

So far, KYCG has carried out about 10,000 free genotype tests across 5 States in Nigeria and it remains the largest on-going campaign on sickle cell advocacy in Nigeria. In addition, SCAF runs the Sickle Cell Club Scheme (SCCS) to set up sickle cell clubs in secondary schools where they also carry out free genotype tests.

As for HHI, they currently have about 500 registered donors across 8 states who have donated over 300 pints of blood for free. Their goal is to increase the number of voluntary blood donors and create a culture of donation.