Sickle cell disease in Africa.

Africa is the main birthplace of sickle mutations; the number of newborns affected by sickle cell disease is estimated at 200,000 per year. However, because of low family income and public health funding and, to a lesser extent, because of local beliefs about sickle cell disease, overall treatment of patients is still poor and, in some places, inadequate. Efforts to adapt therapeutic options and overcome difficulties are presented and analyzed.