More than 5% of the world’s population are healthy carriers of a gene for sickle-cell disease.
In some regions, over 25% of people are carriers.
Every year more than 5 million children are born with sickle cell trait, and over 400,000 are born with sickle cell disease.
Newborn screening is not widespread in low-resource regions and sickle cell disease has up to 80% childhood mortality, without proper treatment.
Newborn screening followed up with available, inexpensive treatment significantly reduces sickle cell disease mortality.