Course Of The Scikle Cell Disease

Nigerians, let's keep 'SS' Suleman alive

GOING by the trauma experienced by Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients, known in local parlance as “ss”, when they go through “their crises”, there should be a national, nay, a global edict, forbidding any union, which issues could turn out to be SCD patients.

The agony of 61-year-old Mr Salawu, Yekeen Atanda, with tears on his face, could be best imagined as he reeled out the harrowing experience of having to single-handedly look after his fourth child, Suleman, who is a sickle cell carrier in the last 18 years.

Of course, Mr. Salawu had not been informed about the SCD and did not know that any union in which both partners are "AS", there is every chance that one of four children turn out to be a carrier and the irony of all this is that one can not predict the position of the carrier between the children.

Salawus for their fourth and latest, Suleman has proven to be the heir of sickle cell anemia in both parents. One is very sure that if Mr Salawu, a driver with a private company, knew that his bundle of joy, sired by him on February 17th, 1987 would be more of a burden than an asset to him, he would have stopped at three children.

Like every young man of his age, Mr Salawu was hopeful for a brighter future when he took his heartthrob, Adijat Kubrat, to the altar in 1980, but after four children, the relationship became awry and when Suleman turned six years old in 1993, both parted ways.

Committed to ensuring that Suleman is the best it can be, Mr. Salawu refused to remarry and, later, had to leave his job to make them easily accessible to Suleman. But it requires a lot of money to maintain a patient SCD and that's what Mr. Salawu missing.

By the grace of God and the assistance of friends, relations, his former place of work, neighbours and fellow faithful in the mosque, Mr Salawu was able to see Suleman through Bolaji Nursery and Primary School, Imalefalafia, Ibadan where he had double promotion twice and completed his School Certificate Education at the Answarudeen Secondary School, Liberty Road, Ibadan in 2006/2007 session.

MTNF graduates 27 genetic counsellors

By Emma Elebeke

No fewer than 27 genetic counsellors have graduated from a genetic counseling training programme organized by Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria and MTN Foundation in Lagos.

Speaking at the graduation and award presentation ceremony held at Sickle Cell Foundation Centre Idi-Araba, Lagos, Director MTN Foundation, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi said that the two weeks intensive training course on genetic counseling, would position the participants to enhance healthcare delivery in the country, especially in the area of sickle cell disorder management.

Prince Adeluyi said that the ceremony was crucial because prevention of sickle cell disorder through career identification, genetic counseling, and prenatal diagnosis remain the best measure to stem the tide of the scourge in the society.

The MTN director added the foundation also sponsor sickle cell clinics in Lagos, Edo, Delta and Kano states, with free drugs and counseling services to over 5,357 beneficiaries.

“ We are recording another milestone in our collective efforts to provide a comprehensive strategy against the scourge of sickle cell disorder in our society with passing out of new set of counselors.

Those graduating today are now ready to join their colleagues in the field to contribute in combating the scourge as well as educate couples on the disorder, probabilities, limitations, and the consequences,” he added.

In her address, the former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Sara Sosan with the spread of genetic counselors across the country, the message would get to the grass root level.

Even with the spread of counselors, Mrs. Sosan noted that many people, especially the youths are still not sure of their genotype group. She therefore urged the participants to take the message to schools, since it is where relationships start.

To further spread the message to the local people, the former Lagos deputy governor also charged stakeholders to break the language into the local languages. Sosan also urged wealthy Nigerian not to flaunt their wealth in frivolities but channel them towards such gestures that would affect lives positively.

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