Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi Sickle Cell Association (KESCA) said it had secured 300 free healthcare insurance slots for its members from the Kebbi Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KECHMA).
The State Coordinator, Hajia Hadiza Yahaya-Shantali made the disclosure on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi while speaking to newsmen on the highlights of the monthly meeting of the association.
The meeting, which drew members from across the board deliberated on the challenges of the disease.
While appreciating KECHMA for the gesture, Hadiza Shantali described sickle cell as a disease with a huge financial, economic, and emotional burden to parents and guardians, adding that it required routine attention.
“So, with these slots we got from KECHMA, we are very grateful as it will address some of the financial burdens of 300 patients from among us,” she said.
On the challenges of the association, Shatali identified finance as one of the major issues of over 2,000 members who were always in constant need of medical help.
She decried that inadequate finances were hindering enlightenment on the disease at the grassroots levels, appealing to government, donor agencies, philanthropists and wealthy individuals to redress the ugly trend.
She also said the essence of the meeting was to mentor the younger ones on the challenges they may likely face in living a life with sickle cell disease.
“This is because sickle cell comes with a lot of challenges, therefore, it is important if the child knows what he or is expected to face and how to overcome it, it will help him or her to carry on with his or her activities in life.
“We should not see the sickle cell as a burden or a barrier to success in life.
The meeting also uses the forum to interact with medical doctors and health personnel and distribute routine drugs to members.”
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sadiq Ibrahim-Maianu from Haematology Unit, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kebbi, advised sickle cell victims not to see the disease as the end of life, instead, ”they should be strong and courageous.”
He appealed for support and encouragement from the families and friends of the victims as well as the society at large to give them a sense of belonging.
Dr. Ibrahim also cautioned parents and guardians against frequent transfusion of blood on sickle cell patients, saying, ”the action may cause more harm than good.”
The Hematologist advised patients to frequently visit hospitals for their clinic, urging, that “they should ensure that their hospitals know the level of their blood because it varies from person to person.
“There are some with 11, 16, 20, and some 23. No matter how much blood is transfused, it will still come back to its original level. He said.
”So, if there is a crisis and you visit a new hospital that does not know your blood level, they may assume that you are short of blood, so, they will ask for a blood transfusion.”
The medical doctor advised people to always go for tests before marriage while advising those with AS and SS genotypes to marry persons with AA genotypes to avert chances of giving birth to children with sickle cell anaemia he added.
In a word of advice to her colleagues, Malama Fatima-Zara Abubakar, a victim, advised them to regularly use warm water during the cold season, and consistent and routine visits to hospitals or clinics.
She also emphasized the regular intake of drugs according to prescription and constant use of mosquito nets while sleeping, among others
