Wife of Kaduna gov wants more awareness on Sickle Cell Anemia

The wife Kaduna State Gov, Mrs Hadiza El-Rufai, has underscored the need for more public awareness on Sickle Cell Anaemia.

El-rufai spoke on Tuesday at a one day support programme for Sickle Cell patients organised by the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

She said it was very important for people to be aware of their genotype before marriage, so as to completely eradicate the disease.

She advised that people who carry the trait should not marry each other, in order not to have children who would suffer from these disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s wife also donated drugs to be distributed to children suffering from the disorder.

In her opening remarks, the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, said the Sickle Cell disorder was a global health problem.

Baba noted that Nigeria had the highest population of carriers of the gene with above 40 million people.

She said it was estimated that over 150,000 babies were born with symptomatic Sickle Cell Anaemia each year in the country.

In his goodwill message, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, who was represented by the District Head of Kawo, urged every intending couple to undergo genotype test, so as to have healthy families in future.

Mrs Aisha Ishaku of the Sickle Cell Centre, Kaduna, said that awareness campaign was ongoing across the 23 local government areas of the state.

“We have almost 6,000 children in our centre and we give them advice on how to take care of themselves,” Ishaku said.