ABEOUKTA :
25% of Nigeria’s population suffer from sickle-cell anaemia and this has ranked the country as one of the countries with the highest rate of carriers.
This alarming statistic was revealed today by Dr. Lauretta Onwah, the chief organizer of the World Sickle-Cell Day themed, “Stem Cell Transplantation – Cure for SCD” held by the Sickle Cell Club, FMC, Abeokuta.
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Addressing the media, Dr. Lauretta noted that the carriers were always withdrawing from the societal activities, their parents or guardians.
Apart from Dr. Temitope, Resident Doctor in Hematology, FMC and Dr. Olabisi Omotosho, senior registrar in hematology in pathology department, FMC, Abeokuta also spoke on cure for sickle cell which they described as, “Stem Transplant”.
According to the doctors, Stem Transplant is the flushing out of the red sickle hemoglobin in the body and replacing it cells that contains genes devoid of the DNA that produces the sickle cell hemoglobin.
According to the Doctors, the transplant process is a gradual process as it is just coming up in Nigeria.
In order to reduce the number of carriers in the country, Doctors proffered the need for awareness, adding that individuals should have their genotype and that of their children, checked right from infanthood.
They also advised that carriers should seek rightful counseling regarding their health status.
