The bane of sickle cell programming in Nigeria is the paucity of funds

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Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), Professor Olu Akinynaju on Friday, April 11, said, at present, the bane of sickle cell programming in Nigeria is the paucity of funds allocated to the health sector.

Akinyanju said this at the closing and certificate award ceremony of the 16th Genetic Counselling Training Course on Sickle Cell Disorder held at the SCF Centre for 30 participants.

In his words, he said, “money is needed for research, for capacity building, for equipment and for programmes, particularly for supporting our poorer citizens.

“America, by allocating millions of dollars to sickle cell disorder from 1972, has increased the average life-expectancy of its citizens with sickle cell anaemia from 7 years in 1974 to about 60 years in 2012. This incredibly, is higher than the average life-expectancy of 48 years for all Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia were introduced from research carried out in the United States of America.

“It is now established that with continual research, sickle cell can be compatible with a normal quality and duration of life. Health is wealth and we hope that our governments can be persuaded to allocate more funds to health care without further delay.”

The chairman said, capacity building for the management and control of sickle cell disorder is a crucial goal of the SCF and genetic counselling has been widely identified as the most effective intervention for initiating sickle cell programming, particularly in resource poor countries.

Akinyanju said, “we are pleased to have introduced this training and to have secured the partnership of the MTN Foundation in seriously addressing sickle cell disorder in Nigeria.”

He added that, most Nigerians mistake for marriage counselling.

“Marriage counselling is for everyone planning to get married while genetic counselling is for all persons who have genetic disorders or who are their significant relatives or who themselves, are healthy carriers of genetic disorders.”

Explaining the roles of a genetic counsellor, Akinyanju said, “a genetic counsellor is to ensure that his clients (affected person, parents or healthy carrier) are provided with all the information necessary to assist them understand and/or cope with sickle cell disorder, thus assuring that these clients can make informed decisions on any course of action.

“Trained counsellors also help to form and run support and advocacy association such as Sickle Cell Clubs and promote the development of dedicated Sickle Cell Clinics and other appropriate facilities in their communities.”

Earlier, in his address, Director MTN Foundation, Mr Dennis Okoro said, prevention of the sickle cell disorder through carrier identification, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis remain the best measure to stem the tide of the scourge.

Okoro said, “MTN Foundation’s interventions in the health sector are not limited to the campaign against the spread of sickle cell disorder. Other notable projects under this portfolio include the MTNF Medical Support Project, the Annual MTNF Community Health Screening Project, the MTNF Yello Doctor Mobile Medical Intervention Scheme and MTNF Eyesight Restoration Intervention Scheme and many more.”

Others present at the ceremony are the National Coordinator, SCFN, Dr Annette Akinsete, the Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH, Dr Wole Oke, Lagos state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris represented by the Director, Disease Control at Lagos State Ministry of Health, ?Dr Jemilade Longe.

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