Nigerian father blames ‘foolish faith’ after AS-carrier couple welcomes child with sickle cellA Nigerian father has opened up about his regret after he and his wife, both AS carriers, had a child with sickle cell disease. “I couldn't sleep throughout last night,” he said, before explaining that his daughter was experiencing a sickle cell crisis. This does not mean that every AS-AS couple will have a child with sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that can cause episodes of severe pain, anaemia, infections and other complications. The father's story has therefore revived an important conversation in Nigeria, where sickle cell remains a major public health concern.