Wife of El-Rufai Wants more Awareness on Sickle Cell Anaemia

The Wife of Kaduna state governor, Mrs Hadiza El-Rufai has emphasised the need for more public awareness on Sickle Cell Anaemia.

Speaking on Tuesday, at a one-day support programme to create awareness for Sickle Cell patients, Hadiza El-Rufai said it was very important for people to be aware of their genotype before marriage, so as to completely eradicate Sickle Cell Anaemia.

She called on people carrying the trait not to marry each other, in order not to have children who would suffer from this disease.

In her opening speech, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development,  said the Sickle Cell disorder has been a global health problem.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s wife also donated drugs to be distributed to children suffering from the disorder.

Hafsat Baba said Nigeria had the highest population of carriers of Sickle Cell Anaemia over 40 million people.

She said it was estimated that over 150,000 babies were born with symptomatic Sickle Cell Anaemia each year in the country.

In his Goodwill message, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris who was represented by the District Head of Kawo, urged every intending couple to undergo genotype test, so as to have healthy families in future.

Mrs. Aisha Ishaku of the Sickle Cell Centre, Kaduna, said awareness is already going all around different local governments in Kaduna state.

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