The burden of sickle cell disease lies in Africa where resources are limited . Hydroxyurea may be an affordable treatmentoption for these patients. Purpose To asses whether hydroxyurea has any effect in reducing vaso-occlusive crises, hospitalization and transfusion requirements in children with homozygous sickle cell a n a e m i a . To e v a l u a t e t h e t o x i c i t y o f h y d r o x y u r e a . M e t h o d s T h i s i s a r e t r o s p e c t i v e , d e s c r i p t i v e s t u d y o f c l i n i c a l and h a e m a t o l o g i c a l o u t c o m e s i n c h i l d r e n w i t h s i c k l e c e l l a n a e m i a t r e a t e d w i t h h y d r o x y u r e a . R e s u 1t s Ten p a t i e n t s w e r e e v a l u a t e d . H y d r o x y u r e a d e c r e a s e d t h e r a t e o f v a s o - o c c 1 u s i o n and d e c r e a s e d t h e t r a n s f u s i o n r e q u i r e m e n t s . The c l i n i c a l and h a e m a t o l o g i c a l b e n e f i t s w e r e g r e a t e s t when f o e t a l h a e m o b l o b i n was m a x i m a l . T h e r e was no s h o r t - t e r m t o x i c i t y . C o n c l u s i o n H y d r o x y u r e a a m e l i o r a t e s symptoms in sickle cell disease. On going studies are n e e d e d t o a s s e s s l o n g - t e r m e f f e c t s .