By Constance Adaurie
As Nigeria continues to battle widespread health misinformation, especially on blood genetics and sickle cell disorder, Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI) recently held a specialised crash course designed to equip media professionals with the scientific clarity needed to report health and genetics accurately and ethically.
Titled “Inform Right, Inform Well,” the two-hour virtual training was held on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. It was exclusively designed for journalists, broadcasters, editors, writers, content creators and other media practitioners across the country. The event which is part of SAMI’s activities to mark World Radio Day 2026, reinforced the vital role of the Fourth Estate of the Realm in shaping public health awareness.
According to the foremost health nonprofit, SAMI, the goal of the crash course is to close long-standing gaps in media reporting on blood genetics, especially blood groups, haemoglobin genotypes, and sickle cell disease which often remain misunderstood or oversimplified in public communication.
The session which opened with the organization’s Communication Officer, Yomi Oyelami giving an overview of the day’s purpose and expectations was divided into three structured modules, each delivered by subject-matter experts including Tobi Olaitan, Peter Osikoya, and Maureen Nwachi.
The session introduced the fundamentals of genetics, the composition of blood, the ABO and Rhesus blood group systems, and haemoglobin genotypes. It finely discussed why blood groups and genotypes matter in clinical practice, including Rhesus incompatibility, marriage compatibility concerns, the importance of genetic testing, and the implication of inaccurate reporting.
Further, it delved into sickle cell disorder as a genetic condition, its burden in Nigeria, innovations in care, and the ethical responsibilities of journalists. It also featured a live Q&A and applied simulation of genetic crossing where trainers jointly addressed participants’ questions.
The Administrative lead of the organization, Bolaji Ibrahim closed the session with insights into SAMI’s work and a call for journalists to apply their new knowledge in shaping more informed public narratives.
About Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative SAMI
Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI) is a health nonprofit founded in 2018 with the vision ‘to have a society where sickle cell disorder is reduced and people with sickle cell and their families are able to live healthy, positive and productive lives.’
Founded by a confectioner-turned-nonprofit leader, Ms. Toyin Adesola, SAMI has, over the years, provided support to thousands of individuals, organizations, and communities through healthcare management, education, advocacy, and awareness.
Nigeria bears the highest burden of sickle cell disease globally, with over 4 million persons living with the condition and an estimated 150,000 babies born annually. Many of these individuals require regular medical care, medications, and emergency interventions but lack access to comprehensive healthcare resulting in avoidable deaths, difficult complications, financial hardship, family breakdown, among other societal concerns.
Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI) runs her lifesaver projects on two major fronts. These are Xtracare program which captures all her management and support projects like Xtracare free medical clinic, Adopt a warrior health insurance, SAMI socioeconomic empowerment project, etc. On the other hand, her Touch A Cell program captures all her advocacy, education and awareness projects such as Touch A Cell radio show, Better You Health Hub which targets organized communities like schools, campuses, and professional forums, and the Touch A Cell community awareness outreaches.
To support the organization, kindly check out her Website – www.sicklecelladvocacy.org – for details.
