Wife of Abia Governor Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu at the Occasion Marking the 2021, World Sickle Cell Day
The wife of Abia Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, has led Abia women in advocacy to mark this year world sickle cell day.
The event which took place at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, promised those already affected by the disease that Vicar Hope Foundation would continue to be a place of comfort and encouragement to them all.
In her address, the Governor’s wife said that the purpose of marking the world sickle cell day is to create awareness, stimulate interest in matters related to sickle cell prevention, management, research for cure, and the challenges faced by carriers of the disease.
The Governor’s wife also revealed that in the midst of of the covid – 19, VHF, were able to complete and open the permanent site of sickle cell medical centre in Aba.
According to her, “we are able to commence and complete four textbooks that are now serving as resource material on sickle cell disease for all our schools, produced and launched a short movie on sickle cell disease and set up sickle cell focal offices in the 17, local government areas of the state”
“We equally have a desk office at the ministry of health for sickle cell disease and recently we have integrated the study of sickle cell disorder into our scheme of work in schools” she said.
However, today we have taken a giant leap in fighting sickle cell disease by inaugurating the enforcement authorities which will ensure that the Abia State Blood and Genotype law is obeyed by all Abians and commend all who have been supportive to see that sickle cell disease is eradicated in Abia and the country at large.
In her speech, the Vice President, Vicar Hope Foundation, Dr. Edith Nwosu, said that the foundation has recorded a lot of successes using advocacy.
While we have promoted the introduction, passage and enforcement of the Abia State Blood Group and Genotype Identification Law, we want to use sickle cell focal persons in the 17, LGAs to reach out the rural areas with health care for sickle cell patients in remote communities.
On our part as a foundation, we shall continue to carry out a robust sensitization campaign and maintain the subsidised medical care, management and counselling in our two centres at Aba and Umuahia.
While we commend the Governor and others for the supportive roles, we call on well meaning Abians to key into programme and support us in any way they can to see that we stop the cycle of sickle cell disease and help hose who have it to live comfortable lives.
Contributing, the commissioner for health, Dr. Joe Osuji, reiterates Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s resolve to end the cycle of sickle cell disease in the state and commend the wife of Abia Governor’s doggedness and sensitisation her foundation has carried out to eradicate sickle cell disease.
In their remarks, Dr. Chinagozie Adindu of Abia Primary Health Care Development Agency and Dr. Chimezie Ukwuonu, extolled the Governor’s wife persistent and increase in awareness to prevent the disease through genotype testing adding that he is hopeful that it will yield the expected results.
Meanwhile, a 7 man enforcement authority were inaugurated to see that Abians comply to the state blood group and genotypes identification law.
