World Sickle Cell Day: Enlist genotype result as marriage requirement
– Medical Doctor urges FG
..As Group seeks intervention on drug availability
CHIGOZIE AMADI
In a bid to reduce the rate of sickle cell ailment in the country, the registrar, Department of Haematology, University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Dr. Usman Lawal has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to implement the inclusion of genotype result in marriage requirement.
Speaking at an event to mark this year World Sickle Day, held at the Osun window on America, UNIOSUN teaching hospital, Adekanmi emphasized on the urgent need for government to enforce genotype test on intending couples.
Lawal, who is also a sickle cell patients, further urged that the government should checkmate the activities of medical laboratories in the country, noting that some issue wrong result which eventually misleads intending couples.
He said, “my number one appeal is that government at all levels should checkmate the activities of all laboratories in Nigeria, like one of the panelist just said, she was given a wrong result in a lab which led to her situation.
“Government should also ensure that marriage institutions don’t join people that are not compatible together. Even the traditional, religious and the court marriages, when couples are not compatible their marriages should not be sanctioned.”
However, the convener and founder of Modupe SC Advocacy Initiative, Modupe Sijuade, enjoined the Federal Government to assist sickle cell patients in accessing drugs at National Health Insurance Schemes, NHIS, and states insurance schemes.
She further gifted no fewer than 50 sickle cell patients free drugs present at the event, urging well to do Nigerians to follow suit.
Her words, “am calling out to government bodies, if there is a way they can help us access drugs especially at the NHIS, O’HIS scheme to access more of our drugs, although we have access to this scheme but we don’t get enough medication there we have to spend a lot. On that note today we will be giving 50 sickle cell patients free drugs”
