| Sumario: | Introduction: Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder with diverse clinical variability, which predisposes patients to additional complications and frequent hospitalizations. Aims and Objectives: This study assessed the level of knowledge of students about sickle cell disease and their perception of pre-marital genotype screening. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross sectional research design utilized multi stage and convenience sampling techniques to select departments and participants of this study respectively. A self-structured questionnaire was used as the survey instrument, data obtained were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Results: Female participants were more than male participants (58.4%, 47.3%). Most participants were knowledgeable about SCDand have heard about sickle cell disease through the media. Student's perceived benefits of premarital genotype screening was good (73.4%) as most participants affirmed that genotype screening for intending couples will prevent unnecessary worries about given birth to a child with SCD and confirm their blood compatibility in a bid to take informed decision about marriage. Few participants (27.6%) said it predisposes an individual to blood borne diseases and 28.8% of them reported it is a painful procedure. Conclusion: In spite of high level of awareness of SCD among participants a good number still did not know their genotype despite their level of education. Hence there is need for massive health education among general populace targeting students in order to reduce incidence and burden of SCD, which has become a public health problem in our country.
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