Welcome - UNGA Official Side Event: OneSCD Launch

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects more than seven million people worldwide and remains a leading yet often overlooked cause of childhood illness and death. While survival exceeds 95% in many high-income countries, children born in high-burden settings continue to face dramatically different outcomes despite the availability of proven, cost-effective interventions. Fewer than 10% of children with SCD in some high-burden countries receive essential diagnosis or treatment.

As global attention increasingly focuses on child survival, health equity, and strengthening health systems, there is growing recognition that greater coordination is needed to address the burden of sickle cell disease at scale. Efforts across countries, regions, and organizations have advanced significantly in recent years, creating new opportunities to align priorities, share knowledge, and accelerate progress.

This high-level side event will bring together government leaders, multilateral organizations, health experts, civil society representatives, and people with lived experience to discuss how the global community can work together to improve outcomes for people affected by sickle cell disease.

Highlight the urgent need for global alignment and multi-stakeholder action to close equity gaps in SCD care, treatment, and survival
Present the OneSCD Partnership vision, scope, and strategic objectives and highlight successful regional and country-level implementation examples, as represented by the OneSCD Partnership champion countries and by regional agencies, with a focus on scalable interventions and required resources
Present the OneSCD Partnership collaborative engagement approach through its founding partners and champion governments, and outline the areas of work to be prioritized in its first phase
Formally launch the OneSCD Partnership as the global coordination mechanism for sustainable financing, comprehensive SCD care, and mutual accountability

Significant advances have been made in understanding and treating sickle cell disease, yet access to these advances remains highly unequal. Closing this gap will require coordinated action across health systems, governments, international organizations, health care providers, advocates, and communities.

By bringing together leaders and stakeholders from around the world under the launch of the OneSCD Partnership, this event aims to strengthen partnerships, amplify lived experience, and build momentum toward a more comprehensive and equitable response to sickle cell disease.