Mrs Ambode Explains Why Nigeria Has High Numbers of Sickle Cell Patients

Lagos State First lady Has Called On More Increase SCD Campaign Awareness

By Chinyere Ikem
Abimbola Ambode, Lagos state first lady has called on more public awareness and campaign whether as individuals or as a nation to ensure a significant reduction in the persons suffering from sickle cell disorder

Her excellency, Mrs Ambode said this during her goodwill message delivered at 2017 annual celebration of the Sickle Cell Club end of the year party in Lagos

Lady Ambode noted that Nigerian ranks the highest in the world in terms of the number of the people with sickle cell disorder as well as healthy carriers.

Furthering this campaign must also take into consideration because it is very necessary for us to show maximum understanding and support to those living with this disorder. “The most devastating impact of the SCD on carriers is the psychological and emotional trauma on the lives of carriers who, as a result of the excruciating pains they go through, believing that they can not live a normal life or attain the height their peers achieve in life”.

The president Sickle Cell Club, Mrs Ayo Otaigbe advised the sickle cell disorder carriers to live healthy, stressing that it is not a dead sentence.

She said, when you manage the disorder very well by eating well with follow up and routing check up and aside that do not wait until when you are into crisis before you remember of seeing your doctor

According to her, for the fact that over 1,500 babies are born every year in Nigeria with the systematic sickle cell anaemia while one in every four Nigerian is a carrier of the sickle cell gene is well documented. Many of these children still die in infancy due to lack of information, appropriate care, poor welfare and infrastructure decay in Nigeria.

Otaigbe stressed the need for more research needed on various fronts to tackle the disorder as a result of immediate causes of severe pain crisis among the carries, “Over the years advances have been made to unravel the complex nature of the Sickle Cell Disorder but little result has been recorded hence the need for more preventive awareness and campaign