A new locally produced treatment for sickle cell disease in Senegal could offer hope to patients across West Africa, including Sierra Leone, where the number of people living with the disorder is estimated to have risen sharply over the past three decades.
Teranga Pharma, a Senegalese pharmaceutical company, is producing a generic form of hydroxyurea known as Drepaf, described as the first generic hydroxyurea produced in Africa.
The medicine is used to reduce painful sickle cell crises, hospitalisations and the need for blood transfusions.
The development comes as Sierra Leone faces a significant burden from sickle cell disease.
Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study put the number of people living with sickle cell disorders in Sierra Leone at about 90,500 in 2023, compared with about 48,700 in 1990.
About 635 people are estimated to have died from sickle cell disorders in Sierra Leone in 2023, with children and young people accounting for a significant proportion of those deaths.
About 153 deaths occurred among children under five, while 314 deaths, nearly half of all sickle cell deaths, occurred among people under 20.
The figures highlight the continuing need for earlier diagnosis, newborn screening, infection prevention, access to hydroxyurea and long term care for patients.
For many sickle cell patients in Africa, the challenge is not simply whether an effective medicine exists, but whether it is available and affordable.
Supply disruptions and the high cost of imported medicines have limited access to hydroxyurea in many countries.
Drepaf could help address some of these challenges.
The medicine was launched in Senegal in November 2025 in 500mg and 100mg formulations, with the lower dose version intended for children.
The 100mg paediatric formulation is designed for use from nine months of age, potentially allowing treatment to begin earlier in childhood.
The medicine is also being sold at substantially lower wholesale prices than some imported alternatives.
The reported wholesale prices are about 3,000 CFA francs for the 500mg formulation and 1,500 CFA francs for the 100mg formulation, while some imported products can cost up to three times as much.
The company is looking beyond Senegal and working towards supplying other African markets.
Burkina Faso, Guinea and Ivory Coast are among the countries being targeted, while interest has also been reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon.
The company aims to expand production sufficiently to meet demand across sub Saharan Africa by 2030.
For Sierra Leone, the development could eventually provide another potential source of affordable hydroxyurea.
However, Drepaf would need to be registered and approved by Sierra Leone’s pharmaceutical regulator before it could legally be marketed and distributed in the country.
The Senegalese development also comes at a time when Sierra Leone is seeking to strengthen its response to sickle cell disease.
Earlier diagnosis remains a major challenge, while access to specialist care and medicines varies across the country.
Improving treatment requires more than access to hydroxyurea. Regular monitoring, blood transfusion services, infection prevention, pain management and specialist care are also essential.
But producing an affordable generic medicine within West Africa could help reduce dependence on imported treatments and strengthen regional pharmaceutical supply chains.
For a country with an estimated 90,000 people living with sickle cell disorders, the possibility of accessing a cheaper and more reliable source of hydroxyurea could be significant.
Senegal’s development therefore offers a potential model for African countries seeking to produce essential medicines locally and improve access to treatment for diseases that disproportionately affect the continent.
