From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The misconception over the N1 million the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano approved for the Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder (APLSCD) to aid its ongoing sensitization campaign has been put to rest with the release of the donation to the association by the Ministry of Health.
Before the Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Akabuike handed over the N1 million cheque to the Association Coordinator, Aisha Edwards, the state Ministry of Health had hosted members of APLSCD at the state secretariat where an enlightenment seminar was organized for them.
Speaking at the seminar, the Commissioner, Dr Akabuike recalled that government effort so far in tackling the health issues of people of the state was enormous, adding that the governor in his benevolence has shown much interest in the health of the people hence his almsgiving of over N113 million to sick people to receive treatment both within and outside the country in the past two years.
The commissioner said that the ministry has aided a lot of persons through his office, pointing out that most times getting such grants required a lot of protocols that might delay them.
He, however, said that in the end they keep to their promises just like they were keeping to the governor’s pledge to APLSCD.
He noted that the Obiano-led government has spent hundreds of millions in aiding people with various health challenges as the government does not play politics with people’s health.
Akabuike noted that amongst all inherited ailments, Sickle Cell happens to be the easiest as it requires no therapy or surgery for its management or prevention since knowledge and information were all it required to be prevented, stressing that the state government has enacted a Sickle Cell law since 2002, and if enforced judiciously, Sickle Cell Anemia would be history in the state in the next 50 years.
He also alerted the public to make use of the screening machine in Anambra State Teaching Hospital, Awka, stating that the machine was donated to the state through partnership with a US-based donor agency, adding that the machine detects Sickle Cell Anemia from birth, thereby making it easier to be managed at early stage instead of waiting for six months before showing in a normal test.
The Director, Public Health and Diseases Control, Dr Emmanuel Okafor, in his opening speech said the ministry has made numerous successful attempts in handling the increasing rate of sickle cell victims in the state.
Highlighting the efforts of the state, he noted that the government has opened a Sickle Cell Screening Centre at Chukwuemeka Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka which is aimed at testing new born babies as early detection of the disorder goes a long way in managing the problem.
Okafor disclosed that the centre has screened over 2000 babies from October 2015 to February 2016 and is working in partnership with the various primary health care services in the state towards the success of the programme.
The Ministry of Health, he said, has also engaged the services of Sickle Orient in handling the tracking of positive cases, positing that detection was a stage that precedes tracking, as follow ups were required for effective management of the disorder.
Delivering a lecture during the programme, Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu, secretary of Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, stressed on the need for early detection and prevention of the disorder, which she said has no known cure but could only be managed until the patient dies.
She explained that the disorder could be averted if couples were aware of their genotype and not fall blindly in love and put their children at the risk of the disorder, as carrier marriage is the major cause of the disorder.
The Special Assistant to the governor on Social Media, Mr Ifeanyi Aniagoh, taught the people on how to take advantage of the social media, especially the Facebook to alert people on the existence of the association, to educate their members on how to manage the disorder and also that social media could act as a platform to attract donors within and outside Nigeria, even foreign donor agencies.
Aniagoh promised that the state government through his office shall extend to the association every support towards the success of the sensitization campaign.
The Coordinator of APLSCD, Aisha Edwards, in her own contribution sought from the commissioner, government plans to fight fraudsters who claim there was cure for Sickle Cell, since it was evident there was no cure.
She thanked the state government and the Ministry of Health for finally keeping to their promise even after a long stall, saying “my heart is full of joy and tears of joy too, this would be the third time we are having a meeting with the commissioner as regarding our cause and I am very happy that after all said and done the kind-hearted governor is celebrating us today in a larger forum with his aides and that of the wife.
“The ministry is our father ministry and our supposed home of refuge regardless of some communication challenges so far experienced. Every family has its own problem after which you will have a better understanding and a stronger bond.”
She regretted that some gluttons were creating a bad image for the ministry and the state government through various schemes they have designed to extort from the society in the name of curing sickle cell anemia.
She assured Anambra people that the details of the numerous beneficiaries of the donation would be published in their next meeting after the presentation to the various needy individuals from the state particularly as they wished and called on well-meaning individuals in the society to support the association as she makes plan for a well celebrated world Sickle Cell Day on June 19.
This year’s celebration, she said, would be exclusively special as they would be playing host to victims from Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Rivers, Enugu and several other states who want to take a cue into the association’s success in Anambra to spread the message across the country.
Also present at the event were Dr Ify Madukasi of the office of the wife of the state governor; the Director Medical Services Ministry of Health, Dr Azubuike Nweje and a host of other health stakeholders.