Nigeria: FG Scales Up Special Sickle Cell Centres Nationwide

SICKLE cell centres in the six geo-political zones of the country are to be scaled up following plans by the Federal Government to step up sickle management and care in the country. Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who disclosed this in Lagos at a book presentation entitled "Sickle Cell Disorder:Early Warning Signals" by Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation in collaboration with Genotype Foundation and the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, said the scale up was part of strategies to holistically tackle the burden of Sickle Cell Disorder, SCD, in Nigeria. Chukwu who was represented by a Desk Officer for Sickle Cell Disorder in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Alayo Shopekun, explained that the centres would be dedicated to the management, control and prevention of SCD. Lamenting the plight of people living with the disorder, Chukwu said SCD is associated with poverty, maternal mortality, newborn and child mortality and HIV& AIDS particularly in those with history of frequent blood transfusion, stigmatisation, and bias in terms of job selection amongst others. "The foregoing picture for this hereditary disorder therefore calls for urgent attention,"he added He announced that a national guideline on the control and management of the disease was in advanced stage to ensure that care provided at the health facilities are informed and conform with international best practice.s The special centres for SCD have been provided with variant machines to ensure that diagnosis of the disorder is accurate and that suspected newborns are screened for the disorder and interventions and follow up could be instituted to ensure survival and improved quality of life for such children. Also, a database on the disorder is expected to be set up to provide information for effective planning and policy decision on the disorder. Earlier, writer of the book and Chairman, Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation, Pastor Emmanuel Ibekwe said Nigeria accounts three quarters of live births into the disorder in Sub_Saharan Africa, which is equivalent of 150,000 out of every 200,000 births in the region shows the stark reality of the disorder and the need to urgently address it to save lives as well as reduce related ailments. Ibekwe opined that his practical ordeal of victims of SCD influences his emotional connection to his writings to fight against the disorder. "We are here to launch a book that reveals why victims of the disorder keep wiping tear drenched faces daily not knowing where and when the pain shall come to an end due to the complications. "Many go into crisis and all of a sudden their health takes a drastic turn around for the worst." "We are appealing to stakeholders to support education through adoption of schools and libraries, providing books on our experiences as instructional materials for public enlightenment and awareness among other things," he added He called on the federal government to develop and encourage the non-for-profit social sector with a view to reducing the burden of the disorder. In his presentation, President, HEWAN, Mr. Azoma Chikwe, said the Association's participation is to "re-dedicate commitment to addressing sickle cell anaemia. As health writers, our impact must be felt in the environment we live." According to him, HEWAN's partnership with Dabma would go a long way in disseminating needed information on how to prevent or manage the disease to a large, scattered and heterogeneous population of the Nigerian community. http://allafrica.com/stories/201208280423.html