Kenya is intensifying efforts to implement universal infant screening for sickle cell disease, aiming to improve early diagnosis and treatment for the estimated 250,000 people living with the condition.

• Approximately 14,000 children are born with sickle cell disease in Kenya annually.
• Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is spearheading the initiative, emphasizing a national ambition for those with sickle cell disease to "thrive" rather than just survive.
• The government has incorporated sickle cell screening into broader maternal and child health programs and is expanding comprehensive care through various initiatives and training for health workers.