The financial burden of sickle cell disease on households in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria Oladele simeon Olatunya1,3

Background: Studies on economic impact of sickle cell disease (SCD) are scanty despite its being common among children in developing countries who are mostly Africans. Objective: To determine the financial burden of SCD on households in Ado Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria. Methods: A longitudinal and descriptive study of household expenditures on care of 111 children with SCD managed at the pediatric hematology unit of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital was conducted between January and December 2014. Results: There were 64 male and 47 female children involved, aged between 15 and 180 months. They were from 111 households, out of which only eight (7.2%) were enrolled under the National Health Insurance Scheme. The number of admissions and outpatients ’ consultations range