Yobe State: Rise In Sickle Cell Anaemia, A Cause For Concern

As harmattan season sets in, the condition of patients living with the Sickle Cell Anaemia, regarded as the most common form of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), has continued to worsen owing to vulnerability and weakness of their immunity. Borno and Yobe states have the largest number of SCD trait with prevalence of 27.9 per cent an 32.6 per cent.

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) statistics on SCD shows that Nigeria has the most share of over 300, 000 babies born globally with SCD. 

The executive director of Sickle Cell Disease Eradication Initiative (SCDEI),  a medical doctor at the Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, Dr Aliyu Usman Mohammed, said there is an increase in the number of sickle cell patients during the harmattan season compared to what was obtainable during hot season.

“We have what we call vasoconstriction, that is narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscle wall vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. This is because of the nature of the sickle cell, the shape of the sufferer’s red blood cell, there will be problems in the flow of blood to some parts of their body including good oxygen due to harmattan weather. 

“SCD patients are vulnerable and prone to frequent hospitalisation during harmattan than hot season, because their major problem during heat is malaria which normally results in anaemia.

“In extreme cold or harmattan weather like this, they are prone to complications such as acute chest syndrome which result in difficulty in breathing and any delay in intervention may cause loss of life.

 “It is high time for anyone with this disease or their caregivers, to take serious measures in taking care of their body by wearing cardigans and using blankets when sleeping. It is also good for them to imbibe the habit of using warm water for drinking among other uses,” Dr Mohammed advised.

He called on all to do well in the society to complement effort of the state government in supporting SCD patients through the organisation, adding that the Yobe State government has captured many of them into the State Contributory Healthcare Scheme for free medication.

A father of three sickle cell children, Mohammed Gaji Betara said he lost two to the disease with the latest one just two weeks ago, describing harmattan as a crisis period for any SCD patient.

“I lost my 20 year-old daughter to SCD in 2020, while the other passed away two weeks ago. 

“We are low income earners and the treatment of this ailment is very expensive. Government has to come up with policies and measures that will ameliorate sufferings of SCD patients and their families. We’re almost always at hospital for one ailment or the other, but with little or no support,” Betara lamented.