​Sickle Cell: Experts Advocate Special Centres for Patients

 By ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna

As part of measures to provide better health care delivery for Sickle Cell Sufferers in Nigeria, stakeholders in the management of Sickle Cell at a workshop in on Monday, ask the government to setup special health care facility centres for carriers.

According to them, setting up designation centres for Sickle Cell sufferers will help in improving health indices of the children and those carrying the disease. 

As an alternative before the commencement of the special centres, government should take advantage of the existing medical facilities by establishing Sickle Cell departments that will specially carter for those suffering from the disease.  

They want government to also come up with a policy framework and legislation that will mandate sickle cell testing for every child born in Nigeria.

The equally want legislation for government backing for sustainable funding and to also empower Non Government Organizations (NGOs), for effective awareness creation. 

The stakeholders also harp on the need for effective media engagement, saying is key in advocating for both government and public support.

A resource at the event, Dr. Baba Inusa, of Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Trust UK, while speaking with journalists, noted the resolutions from the meeting will be transmitted to both Kaduna and Niger States government for implementation and will serve as model for the entire country. 

“This is a focus group, whereby we want to we want to find out from all stakeholders involved the management of Sickle Cell disease, to hear exactly what is their anticipation with regards to introduction of Newborn and Early Infant Diagnosis. 

“Normally, you can not diagnose sickle cell disease early, you have to wait for about six months, but now there is an equipment that Kaduna State has been trying to start working, and the equipment at the moment is available. 

“The state is training staff to start using the equipment and allow parents to find diagnosis from day one, so introducing that method is very essential and to have stakeholders to know about that project and allow them to also give suggestions as to what can actually work. 

“This can be linked to other programs that are already working in the state, like HIV screening, community primary healthcare project, this can be linked so that we don’t do that programme together so that it can benefit the people. 

The workshop was organised by Sickle Cell Cohort Research (SCORE) and Dept of Haematology, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State University. 

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