Mr. Ban recalled the “welcome step” taken by the General Assembly last December of adopting a resolution recognizing the disease as a public health problem.

The resolution also called for Member States and the UN system to raise awareness of sickle cell anaemia on 19 June every year at the national and international level.

Mr. Ban, in a message issued today, noted that sickle cell anaemia is an inherited condition that affects hundreds of thousands of babies born each year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.

“I am pleased to lend my voice to the effort to raise global awareness about it. The more people understand the disease, the better we can respond,” he said, adding that understanding is also critical to eliminating the harmful prejudices associated with the condition.

The Secretary-General said that although sickle cell anaemia cannot be cured, it can be managed through simple measures such as increasing fluid intake, pursuing a healthy diet, taking folic acid supplements and taking medication as needed.

“We must ensure that these affordable, common-sense interventions are available to all people suffering from the disease so that they can enjoy healthy and productive lives.”

For its part, the UN, in working to strengthen health systems worldwide, encourages research on the disease and helps build capacity to conduct screenings for it, he added.

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