Routine screening for sickle cell haemoglobinopathy by electrophoresis in an infant welfare clinic

The experience of a Nigerian infant welfare clinic in offering sickle cell haemoglo-binopathy (SCH) screening by electrophoresis to its clinic population over a 12-year period is reported. Overall 10,115 children were screened. Homozygous haemoglobin S was detected in 3.1% and haemoglobin S + C in 1.1%. Carriers of the sickle cell gene (haemoglobin A + S) comprised 23.7% of the children screened. Gene frequencies for the A, S and C genes were 0.814, 0.155 and 0.031 respectively. The gene frequencies of the S and C genes were higher than those reported in infants and under-five children from other parts of Nigeria. Screening for sickle cell haemoglobinopathy in the first year of life through infant welfare clinics and 'well-baby' clinics as described in this report is suggested as a viable approach to the problems of detection (and genetic counselling) of SCH in developing countries with their scant resources. The advantages and limitations of this approach are discussed.