Routine Haematological Screening of Apparently Healthy Adults for Anaemia and Haemoglobinopathies at a Health Fair in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria

Community health screenings provide an accessible platform for identifying asymptomatic haematological disorders including anaemia and haemoglobinopathies in populations with limited routine healthcare contact. This study conducted routine haematological screening among apparently healthy adults attending a public health fair in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional screening exercise was conducted among 400 volunteer adults. Fingerprick blood samples were collected for measurement of haemoglobin concentration by HemoCue haemoglobinometer and haemoglobin genotype by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Sociodemographic and nutritional data were collected by questionnaire. Anaemia, defined as haemoglobin below 12 g/dL in women and below 13 g/dL in men, was found in 32.3% of participants. Women of reproductive age had the highest anaemia prevalence at 41.7%. The sickle cell trait was detected in 20.5% of participants, with the majority unaware of their genotype status prior to screening. HbSS was confirmed in 2.3% of adults screened. HbAC was found in 5.3% of participants. Only 34.6% of those with abnormal results reported having been previously screened for haemoglobinopathies. The study underscores the high burden of undiagnosed anaemia and haemoglobinopathies in the community and recommends periodic community-based haematological screening programmes, integration of haemoglobin genotyping into routine primary care, and expanded genetic counselling infrastructure in North Central Nigeria. Keywords: anaemia, haemoglobinopathy, community screening, sickle cell trait, Nasarawa State