AKTH offers free emergency care for sickle cell patients

The Haematology/Oncology Unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, has announced free emergency daycare services for sickle cell patients as part of activities marking the 2026 World Sickle Cell Day celebration.

The initiative, themed “Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease”, is designed to improve access to essential healthcare services for people living with sickle cell disease while raising public awareness about the condition.

According to a statement issued by the Clinical Haematology/Oncology Unit, the free medical outreach will be held on June 18 and 19, 2026, at the Clinical Haematology Daycare Unit located within the Musa Mohammad Borodo Male Medical Ward of the hospital.

The hospital said services would be available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Beneficiaries of the programme will receive a range of free emergency healthcare interventions, including medical consultations and reviews, daycare observation and monitoring, intravenous fluids and consumables, emergency pain management, as well as essential antibiotics and antimalarial medications.

The outreach will also provide treatment support for peptic ulcer disease (PUD), a condition that can affect some individuals living with sickle cell disease.

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Medical experts at AKTH stressed the importance of equitable healthcare access for sickle cell patients, noting that prompt medical intervention plays a critical role in improving survival rates and enhancing the quality of life of affected persons.

World Sickle Cell Day is observed annually to increase public awareness about sickle cell disease, one of the world’s most common inherited blood disorders

The observance also serves as a platform to advocate for improved healthcare services, research, and support systems for people living with the condition.

The hospital urged sickle cell patients and their caregivers to take advantage of the free services and seek timely medical attention whenever necessary.

The initiative underscores AKTH’s commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for vulnerable patients and supporting efforts to reduce the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria.