The founder and Trustee, Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation ( SCHAF) Nigeria, a non-profit and non- Political Organization, Professor Adeyinka, Falusi, has advised Nigerian government to establish a National Planning for Sickle Cell Disease ( SCD) control programme in the country as it is in the developed countries.
According to her, the development would go a long way to reduce the increasing rate of people with sickle cell disease in the country.
She made the remark on Monday, in Ibadan, at an awareness programme on Sickle Cell Disease organised for the grassroots people to mark this year’s International Sickle Cell Disease Day.
Professor Falusi noted that Nigeria still remains the country with the highest number of sickle cell patients in the world.
She said: “ In view of this, it has become inevitable for every Nigerian, especially the youth to know the causes and prevention of Sickle Cell disease before going into marriage relationship.
“ This informed the establishment of SCHAF about thirteen years ago in Nigeria to create awareness about the dangers associated with the disease and how it could be avoided.
“In the last thirteen years, SCHAF has 1300 persons with SCD under its care in terms of treatment and skill empowerment free of charge.
“ This year, we are intensifying efforts to establish know your Genotype Club in all the secondary and tertiary institutions in the state”.
According to her, SCHAF is soliciting for financial assistance from all the financial institutions, industrial sector and individual philanthropists for the progress of the organization’s activities on Sickle Cell disease control in Nigeria.
She noted that SCHAF has an effective test kit, known as Point of Care, introduced by the World Health Organized (WHO) to know your Genotype in ten minutes.
Speaking in the same vein on the occasion, Director of Operation of the organization, Abayomi Odetunde reemphasised the urgent need for every young adult in the country to know his or her Genotype while he, or she is a bachelor or spinster as the case may be.
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He also noted that the victims should not be maltreated, or stigmatized for one reason or the other in the society.
Mr Odetunde asserted that the disease is preventable, adding that the youth should know their Genotyping early enough.
He commended the National Youth Service Corps for its collaboration with SCHAF to establish Know Your Genotype Club in schools and other communities in Oyo State.
One of the patients and beneficiaries of the organisation, Mr Owolabi Abass, confirmed the sacrificial services the Sickle Cell disease victims were being enjoyed from the organization since inception.
He called on government and individual Philanthropists to support the organization duly.
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