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By Merit Ibe
Dufil Prima Foods has pledged to provide free medication for 200 beneficiaries through its partnership with the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN).
The intervention, delivered under the partnership’s “Hope Begins with Care” initiative at an outreach held at the Sickle Cell Foundation in Lagos, aims to ease the medical and financial burden of managing the lifelong condition.
Group Corporate Communications and Events Manager, Temitope Asiwaju, described the partnership as a strategic commitment to supporting vulnerable communities, while stressing the importance of sustained advocacy and awareness.
“More than what we are doing today, I’d like to also let you know that when it comes to advocacy, when it comes to awareness, it should start from you,” he said, urging beneficiaries and stakeholders to deepen public understanding of Sickle Cell Disorder.
Ashiwaju also highlighted the importance of genotype awareness and compatibility, particularly among young Nigerians making decisions about marriage and family life.
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For SCFN, the intervention addresses the high cost of ongoing Sickle Cell care. Caleb Audu, Senior Manager, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, said the financial burden can push families into difficult circumstances.
“People with sickle cell disorder fight unseen battles. Sickle cell management is very expensive. People sell their properties, they lose their jobs, they lose their means of livelihood,” he said.
Audu disclosed that Dufil committed millions of naira towards procuring the medications, noting that the support would provide much-needed relief to beneficiaries and their families.
One of the beneficiaries, 16-year-old Farida Adedeji, who was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disorder at age two, commended Dufil for its continued support, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
Other beneficiaries also expressed appreciation, noting that reduced medication costs would allow families to channel scarce resources towards other essentials such as food, education, rent and clothing.
Now in its tenth year, the Dufil-SCFN partnership continues to deliver practical support through medication, healthcare and public awareness. It builds on interventions including the 2025 Makoko Community Sickle Cell Outreach Programme, which provided healthcare services, genotype awareness, health education and training for primary healthcare workers.
