Foundation advocates training of medical experts on sickle cell

The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) has advocated for the training of medical personnel in managing sickle cell patients, saying certain standard procedures not followed could cause adverse effects.
Mr Adeshina Adetunbosun, a member of SCAF, and also the Founder of Babajide Olowodola Foundation.



Adetunbosun said more experts like haematologists and other medical personnel should be trained and made accessible in all government facilities specifically for managing sickle cell patients when crisis occur.

``This is very vital, Nigeria has the highest number of sickle cell cases in the world with over 200,000 children born every year and 60 per cent of whom die in infancy.

``Despite this large number, the knowledge of the diseases is very limited, with surveys showing that over half of Nigerians do not know their genotype.’’

Adetunbosun said that training of medical personnel in the field of sickle cell had been on decline due to the nature of the diseases as non-communicable.

However, he noted that significant stride had been achieved in the management for patients living with the condition including the use of Hydroxyurea, Niprisan, Bone Marrow transplants and Stem Cell research.

Adetunbosun said drugs in managing the condition such as Niprisan and Hydroxyurea are however available, accessible and affordable.

He said 30 capsules of Niprisan for one month dose cost N3,000 while Hydroxyurea cost N5,000 for 1,000 capsules, saying that the drugs do not cure or eliminate the pain rather it reduces the frequency of crises.

According to Adetunbosun, sickle cell disease is a hereditary lifelong blood disorder caused by an abnormality in the oxygen carrying haemoglobin in the red blood cells.

``This leads the cells to assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle cell-like shape.

``It is also associated with a number of acute and chronic health problems such as infections, attacks of severe pain (sickle–cell crisis) and stroke, with an increased risk of death.

He said sickle cell disease occurs when a person inherits two abnormal copies of the haemoglobin gene, one from each parents.

Adetunbosun further urged government to increase funds in creating more awareness and management of the condition.

The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in 2010, with the aim of creating awareness on sickle cell anaemia and developing measures at limiting and possibly eradicating the complications of this condition.

The foundation has, however, conducted more than 3,000 free genotype tests as well as donated N500,000 worth of free medicines to the victims.
Credit: NAN