Posted on: Mon 26-05-2025

In what may well be a turning point in the global fight against sickle cell anemia, Nigerian-born physician and medical researcher, Dr. Sota Omoigui, based in the United States, has put forward a potentially life-saving discovery that deserves immediate attention: home oxygen therapy as an early intervention to reverse the onset of sickle cell crises.

This revelation comes at a time when the Judith Ojonugwa Sickle Cell Foundation is lauding the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) for its recent donation, a heartening example of corporate support for a cause that affects millions of lives.

Dr. Omoigui, who serves as Medical Director of the Division of Inflammation and Pain Medicine at the Los Angeles Pain Clinic, California, argues that the conventional approach to treating sickle cell crises—typically administered once the patient is already hospitalized—may be fundamentally flawed. According to him, waiting too long may mean missing the critical window for reversing the crisis.

He explains that in the early stages of a sickle cell crisis, the sickled red blood cells are still in a reversible state. If oxygen is administered promptly—within 30 minutes of symptom onset—the cells can return to their normal, flexible shape. Once that window is missed, however, the damage may become irreversible, rendering hospital-administered oxygen less effective or even futile.

“Administering oxygen early can stop the crisis in its tracks,” Omoigui insists. “It prevents severe pain, emergency care, hospitalization, and even organ damage. It’s not just about saving lives—it’s about preserving quality of life.”

In an insightful detail, Dr. Omoigui points out that many sickle cell crises begin during sleep, when oxygen levels in the body naturally dip. As a preventive measure, he recommends the use of home oxygen therapy before bedtime, especially following known triggers like physical exertion, stress, cold exposure, alcohol intake, air travel, or infection.

Perhaps most striking is his call for urgent public health policy reform. According to Dr. Omoigui, home oxygen therapy should be recognized as the standard of care for sickle cell disease, much like insulin is for diabetes. “There is no other widely available treatment that can match the effectiveness of home oxygen in transforming patient outcomes,” he says.

He further emphasizes that airlines must be mandated to provide supplemental oxygen for passengers with sickle cell disease, noting that cabin pressure at cruising altitude poses a significant risk.

In terms of pain management, Dr. Omoigui is clear: morphine or pethidine are essential during crises to prevent escalation to acute chest syndrome, a complication with a high mortality rate. He strongly cautions against the use of drugs like Pentazocine or Tramadol, which he describes as both ineffective and potentially harmful.

Oxygen, he says, should be delivered at a rate of 1.5–2 liters per minute via nasal cannula, using either a home oxygen concentrator or cylinder. This, he believes, is the missing link in care that could revolutionize the management of sickle cell disease across the world.

The implications of this discovery are profound. If embraced by health authorities and integrated into standard practice, home oxygen therapy could redefine the future for millions living with sickle cell disease—not just in Nigeria, but globally.

So the question now is: Will health policymakers take notice—and act?

---

---