The American Centre for Disease and Control in its recent statistics, has proven Nigeria to be the Headquarters of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in the world,with Nigeria topping the chat with over 150,000 children born with SCD annually out of the 300,000 SCD children born globally.
In Sub- Sahara Africa alone, over 225,000 children with SCD are born yearly and according to statistics, Nigeria has over 66% of that population, leaving the nation with a critical case.
cross section of SCD focal persons in the workshop
This high rate of SCD in Nigeria could be attributed to the poor knowledge of genotype status, lack of standard laboratory facilities that would give accurate results of genotype testing, the absence of a law backing the mandatory identification of genotype and blood group among others.
To confront these challenges as well as make Abia free from SCD, the Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Vicar Hope Foundation, with the support from the wife of the Abia Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, has organized a one day workshop on Sickle Cell Disease for SCD focal persons across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to beef up their knowledge about SCD, so they can relay same to their various LGAs.
Mr Ibe U. Ibe, delivering his lecture
In her speech, the President of Vicar Hope Foundation, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, stated that the workshop was very important as it would help harness and coordinate activities relating to sickle cell prevention and case management in the Local government and rural areas .
Mrs Ikpeazu disclosed that Abia government is determined to reduce the prevalence of sickle cell disease in the state, as well as provide adequate line of care for survivors making Abia to be one of two states in the country that has put laws to fight the disease.
She revealed that the Vicar Hope Foundation is working as committed partners to enable government hit its mark with the health loving governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, approving broad- based collaborations between government Ministries and VHF, with the objective of getting all hands on deck to arrest the disease.
SCD focal persons
The President of VHF, further stated that
the VHF was driven by its passion to set up two large sickle cell care centres in Aba and Umuahia, plus modern diagnostics departments where subsidized care is being offered to sickle cell patients.
As the major NGO involved with sickle cell matters in Abia state, Mrs Ikpeazu, however, maintained that one of the cardinal roles of the organization is to help the government build capacity to address the challenge.
While enjoining the SCD focal persons to use the event to equip themselves in the fight against SCD, commended the Executive Secretary of Abia state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chinagozi Adindu for his tireless efforts in reducing the prevalence of sickle cell in the state.
Mr Chika Ojiegbe and Dr Chinagozi Adindu during the session.
In their separate lectures, the facilitators Barr Chidinma Alozie, Mr Ibe U. Ibe and Dr Andrew Ekhoragbon, stated the need for urgent response to tackle and manage SCD, saying that massive awareness programmes are needed to be done particularly in rural areas, so that the burden of Sickle cell disease which are quite enormous could be curtailed, adding that if parents are aware of their children’s genotype early enough,it could also help in reducing the high rate of SCD in Nigeria.
They also added that the focal persons should help carry out sensitization campaigns as well as inform rural dwellers of the SCD Law passed by the Abia House of Assembly in 2018, that provides for the mandatory Identification of Genotype and Blood group on ID cards, compulsory genotype test for intending couples among other provisions.
In an interview with newsmen, the Executive Secretary of Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chinagozi Adindu, disclosed that the workshop became important because of the increased rate of patients living with SCD and the high rate of infant mortality, attributed to SCD.
According to Dr Adindu, his agency thought it wise to partner with VHF because of the same vision the VHF has with the Healthcare Agency and working in synerging with them, would afford people the required services such as counselling, testing, treatment and management of sickle cell patients.
He said if urgent action is not being taken, such as proper education and sensitization of people,the death rate might be overwhelming, as already over 300,000 children with sickle cell are born every year.
Dr Adindu further advised that early detection and cure of children with SCD, awareness campaigns, as well as the compulsory testing of intending couples would help control the increased rate of SCD in Abia.
