Registrar, Department of Hematology, University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Dr. Usman Lawal, has urged the federal government to implement the inclusion of genotype result in marriage requirement to reduce the rate of sickle cell ailment in the country.
Lawal spoke at an event to mark this year’s World Sickle Cell Day, held at the Osun window in America, UNIOSUN teaching hospital, Adekanmi emphasized the urgent need for the government to enforce genotype test on intending couples.
Lawal, who is also a sickle cell patient, urged the government to check the activities of medical laboratories in the country, noting that some give wrong results which eventually mislead intending couples.
He said, “My number one appeal is that the government at all levels should check the activities of all laboratories in Nigeria, like one of the panelists just said, she was given the wrong results 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 ModuupelreSC 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 gifted 50 sickle cell patients free drugs at the event, urging Nigerians who are well-to-do to follow suit.
Her words, “I 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”
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