A faith-based non-governmental organisation, CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Initiative has called on the government to give more attention to people living with sickle cell.
The NGO which facilitated free medical tests, screening and
medication for about 200 patients in Lagos, charged the government across
levels to be more attentive to the plights of sickle cell patients, and help to
stop all discrimination and marginalisation against them.
The Project Coordinator for the initiative, Christianah
Bakare, stated this at the “Project Treat A Warrior” clinic organised by the
NGO at Ikeja.
She said, “We are out to help the patients cushion the
effects of sickle cell. We have almost 200 people in attendance here as we
speak and the number is increasing.
“The government should reach out to us to help more of these
people at the grassroots.
According to her, the initiative will not relent in its
efforts to assist people living with sickle cell disease in the country.
Also speaking at the event, the Finance Director, CrimsonBow Sickle Cell
Initiative, Bolanirandeji Adeyale, stated that the sickle cell patients needed
more free treatments of ILERA EKO initiative.
She, however, urged the government to also ensure mandatory
newborn sickle cell testing, saying if it was detected at birth, the treatment
would be easy.
“Newborn testing is very key. As a patient, I was not
diagnosed until I was 12. Sickle cell is not a death sentence,” Adeyale added.
Meanwhile, a Haematologist, Dr Gbenga Adebayo, while
counselling the caregivers and patients advised parents not to give up on their
children but should use their medications appropriately as given by their
caregivers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment