Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

Kebbi State Sickle Cells Association (KESCA) has said six of its members are in need of N7.8 million for hip replacement surgeries at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi .

State Coordinator of the sssociation ,Hajiya Hadiza Yahaya- Shantali, made this known in Birnin Kebbi  while briefing newsmen on the 2020 World Sickle Cell Day celebration.

“Presently, KESCA has six members in need of hip replacement surgeries at the cost of N1.3 million each, at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi.

We have very limited funds to take care of the these surgeries on top of our sensitisation programmes, provision of daily drugs and genotype testing in remote villages across the state,” she said.

Yahaya-Shantali added that the emergence of COVID-19 made the association to shut down its office, adding that those with sickle cell disorder were among the most vulnerable groups to coronavirus infection.

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“This is what made us to think of strategies of encouraging and sensitising our members and indeed those with underlying medical condition on how to live through this trying period,” she said.

She noted that it had been their culture and tradition to join the world in celebrating the World Sickle Cell Day on June 19.

“In the course of these celebrations, the organisation will be embarking on media awareness an sensitisation campaigns, distribution of face masks, hand sanitisers, reading materials as well as free routine drugs and some nutritional supplements to members and those with underlying health condition,” she said.

The KESCA coordinator called on the government to  protect children and individuals living with SCD through the state sickle cell law.

Wife of Kebbi Governor, Dr. Zainab Bagudu, represented by Hajiya Zara’u Wali, donated N200,000 and appreciated the organisers of KESCA for inviting her for the  event.

“I commend the leadership of Hajiya Hadiza -Yahaya- Shantali for all the good works she has been doing in Kebbi State to ease the plight of those living with sickle cell, the support that the organisation gives to patients living with sickle cell,” Bagudu said.