Malawi Calls for Sustained Funding to Cut Sickle Cell Deaths Before Age Five

Malawi issued an urgent call on 19 June 2026 for sustained funding to prevent children with sickle cell disease from dying before their fifth birthday. The Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Malawi stated that without newborn screening and reliable access to treatment, as many as nine in ten children born with the condition in sub-Saharan Africa will not survive early childhood.

" Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become rigid and misshapen, blocking blood vessels and depriving organs of oxygen.

The condition can trigger severe pain, chronic anaemia, infections, stroke and organ damage. Around 300,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa each year. 74 million people live with the disease, and sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia account for nearly 80 percent of cases.

Malawi adopted the WHO's PEN-Plus strategy in 2021. Since then, more patients have gained access to hydroxyurea therapy, pain relief and infection prevention closer to home. Maud Mwakasungula, national chairperson of the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Malawi, said sustained investment in prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and long-term care is critical in improving health outcomes and reducing avoidable deaths.

Mwakasungula added that stronger public awareness and community education can dismantle the stigma that prevents patients from accessing care. Common warning signs of sickle cell disease include severe recurring pain, persistent fatigue, frequent infections, swollen hands and feet, jaundice and delayed growth in children.

For many rural families in Malawi, long distances to clinics, transport costs and unreliable drug supplies continue to limit access to care.