Global Issues
Jump to Section:
The Current State
By 2050 the number of people with SCD is expected to increase by about 30 percent globally.
Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) have recognized SCD as a global health issue. In 2006, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution recognizing SCD as a public health priority and called on countries to tackle the disease. This resolution was also adopted by the United Nations in 2009.
90%+ of children with SCD do not survive to adulthood in resource-poor countries.
Prevalence of sickle cell trait varies greatly between different regions but reaches levels as high as 40 percent in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa, eastern Saudi Arabia, and central India.
30% Growth in the number of people with SCD expected globally by 2050.