Ignorance remains the primary obstacle to sickle cell disease management in Burkina Faso, says Mylène Amadji

Mylène Amadji, co-founder of the Brise d'espoir association, highlights that ignorance is the main barrier to effective management of sickle cell disease in Burkina Faso. Brise d'espoir, a non-profit organization established in 2024, aims to raise awareness, inform, and advocate for better quality of life and access to care for individuals with sickle cell disease. Amadji, who lives with the condition and a motor disability, emphasizes that sickle cell disease affects over 4% of the general population and approximately 2% of Burkinabe newborns annually are born with the homozygous SS form. The association conducts online awareness campaigns, reaching over 2,000 people, and provides a contact number for inquiries. A significant concern among those contacting Brise d'espoir is identifying appropriate healthcare professionals. Amadji stresses the importance of early diagnosis for better management and pre-marital screening to understand electrophoretic status. She notes that two individuals carrying certain forms of the anomaly should avoid marriage due to the high risk of having children with severe forms of the disease. For instance, two AS carriers have a risk of having SS children; ideally, an AS or AC individual should marry an AA individual. Beyond ignorance, financial constraints pose a major obstacle, as medical consultations, examinations, and hospitalizations are costly. There is also a lack of healthcare professionals specifically trained in sickle cell disease manage