Officials from the Nairobi City County Government’s Health, Wellness and Nutrition Sector.

The Nairobi City County Government’s Health, Wellness and Nutrition Sector has partnered with global health technology firm OraSure Technologies to scale up decentralised sickle cell disease (SCD) testing and treatment.

The initiative aims to reduce long-distance travel to national referral hospitals by introducing rapid diagnostic kits, newborn screening and specialised clinics at community-level health centres.

Speaking during a facility tour, County Head of Division for Non-Communicable Diseases Dr Victor Kibe said decentralising specialised care is critical to improving patient survival and easing the financial burden on families.

“Bringing screening and treatment services closer to communities eases the financial and physical burden on families, enabling early intervention without requiring long-distance travel to national facilities,” Kibe said.

He added that the county had strengthened its emergency and referral services, including ambulance support, through its dedicated toll-free line, 1508.

The landmark collaboration was finalised during a high-level delegation visit to Kianda Level 4 Hospital in Kibra.

The delegation was led by OraSure Technologies President and CEO Carrie Eglinton Manner, alongside senior county health officials.

Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit Martha Chege highlighted the importance of coordinated county support in expanding specialised services for people living with sickle cell disease.

Kianda Level 4 Hospital manager Hezron Kailanya said the facility’s dedicated sickle cell clinic provides screening, hydroxyurea treatment and follow-up services. He added that the facility had attended to 172 patients over the past three months.

CEO Manner said the use of rapid point-of-care diagnostics at Kianda Level 4 Hospital demonstrated their potential to strengthen screening and support wider adoption through collaboration with the county, the Ministry of Health and other partners.

“The company has established a diagnostic manufacturing facility in Uganda that produces HIV self-tests for the East African market,” said John Bannister, OraSure Senior Sales Director.

He noted that the company intends to manufacture SickleSCAN tests at the facility to improve the reliability and availability of supplies in Kenya and the wider region.

Children’s Sickle Cell Foundation chairman Geoffrey Shimanyula called for increased community awareness, more testing points and sustained partnerships to support affected families.

Dr Rebecca Mwakichako, a haematologist at Moi County Referral Hospital in Taita Taveta, shared experiences in newborn screening and comprehensive care.

The engagement brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, Africa Sickle Cell Organization, Children’s Sickle Cell Foundation, Imara Sickle Cell Framework, OraSure Technologies, County health teams, caregivers and people living with sickle cell disease.