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Mbonjo Bitsie Dora: Strengthening Sickle Cell Care Through Education, Awareness and Innovation

Mbonjo Bitsie Dora/LinkedIn

Sep 23, 2026, 14:50

Mbonjo Bitsie Dora: Strengthening Sickle Cell Care Through Education, Awareness and Innovation

Mbonjo Bitsie Dora, Founder at Break Sickle Cycle Movement, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Last week, I had the privilege of serving as a panelist at the Osun Sickle Cell Advocacy Working Group Symposium, and honestly, it was such an enriching experience.

I had the opportunity to learn from distinguished experts, including Professor Norah Akinola and Victoria Odesina, who have dedicated many years of their careers to sickle cell disease.

I was also especially happy to share the panel with my sister, such an inspiring warrior, Ajefu Catherine

The three day symposium brought together different perspectives around one important question:

How do we build stronger systems for people living with sickle cell disease?

Several important priorities came up throughout the discussions:

Raising public awareness about sickle cell disease
Making newborn screening and early diagnosis accessible
Ensuring comprehensive care, including routine and preventive treatment
Strengthening sickle cell services within primary healthcare centres
Establishing effective transition clinics for adolescents moving from paediatric to adult care
Providing continuous education and counselling for patients and caregivers
Promoting therapeutic education to help warriors better manage their condition
Training and continuously retraining healthcare professionals at every level

When I was given the opportunity to share my perspective on what should be prioritized within the health system over the next 12 months, I emphasized on one thing.

‘We cannot keep building facilities if the people working within the health system are not adequately trained to care for people living with sickle cell disease.’

A person experiencing a pain crisis may first present at a primary healthcare centre. If the healthcare personnel there are not equipped with the knowledge and skills to recognize and manage sickle cell complications appropriately, having specialized facilities elsewhere will not be enough.

Another part of the symposium that really caught my attention was the discussion around technology and innovation.

Mr. Caleb Anthony Audu presentation highlighted the enormous potential of digital platforms to transform sickle cell education and care.

Instead of reaching hundreds or a few thousand people at a time through physical gatherings, we can equip young people, healthcare professionals and medical students with the skills to create responsible digital health content that can reach thousands of people.

Technology can also support practical solutions such as applications for tracking pain crises, digital platforms for patient education, and tools that help warriors identify available healthcare facilities when they need care.

Thank you to the organizers, speakers, panelists and everyone who made the Osun State Sickle Cell Symposium such a valuable experience.” Mbonjo Bitsie Dora: Strengthening Sickle Cell Care Through Education, Awareness and Innovation