Chibuzo Ihegboro
The Rotary Club of Lekki Phase-1 has stepped up to the challenge of reducing the spread and mortality rate of the deadly sickle cell disease (SCD) in Nigeria.
Our country is currently the SCD epicenter of the world, with an estimated 150,000 babies born with the disease each year and more than 100,000 dying before the age of five.
This reveals that Nigeria accounts for nearly half of the more than 300,000 babies born worldwide each year with severe Hemoglobin disorders.
Sickle cell disease is one of Nigeria’s most common illnesses that receive inadequate attention, and with the damning statistics, from health experts, Nigeria is exposed as a black sheep among the comity of nations.
It is against this backdrop that Yetunde Dimowo, President of the Rotary Club of Lekki Phase-1, rose to take on the task of raising awareness and strengthening prevention and care to reduce the toll of this disease on Nigerians.
Dimowo, who was recently installed as the 16th President of the Rotary Club of Lekki Phase-1 in Lagos, hinted that the fight against SCD is a major project she has adopted for her tenure.
Speaking to newsmen, after her investiture as the Rotary president, Dimowo expressed excitement at her new task. “I am passionate about children. And I have always had a passion for giving back to society because growing up, I was taught to show love to the less fortunate,” she said.
The Rotary President divulged that aside from sensitization campaigns on SCD, she will also be canvassing to procure and donate Transcranial Doppler machines to various hospitals.
A Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is an ultrasound screening device used to measure the speed of blood flow through the blood vessels in the brain.
Acquiring this device would help to identify children with SCD who are at an increased risk of stroke. And this would go a long way in making primary stroke prevention a reality.
Dimowo said she moved to prioritize sickle cell and acquire the Transcranial Doppler machine after she witnessed how some of her close acquaintances suffered excruciating pains and stroke caused by SCD.
READ ALSO: http://PDP ‘children’ deserve Party’s respect, says Gov. Wike
“I had a friend who lost a twin brother to sickle cell,” she said. “Also when I went to university, I had a friend who also has SCD. Whenever she goes into crisis, nobody touches her. We use the bedsheet to get to her. I helplessly watched her agonise in excruciating pains caused by SCD. Then again, my husband’s first cousin also suffered from SCD. She had a crisis during the Ebola outbreak, many hospitals rejected her because they were scared and didn’t know what it was. So her condition deteriorated into a partial stroke. She was managing her condition till we lost her two years ago.
“I have seen people with SCD, especially children crying in agony, and suffer excruciating pains all through life because of the disease. We Rotarians are poised to bring some help.
“It is sad that the awareness of SCD is very low in our country. Nigeria has the highest number of sickle cell patients in the world. It is heartbreaking. So I want to give a lifting hand to people and alleviate their pain,” she added.
Acquiring a Transcranial Doppler machine is no child’s play. One of them is estimated to cost at least N24million. But Dimowo is not deterred.
“Raising 24 million is no joke. But I’ll beg friends, family, and other Rotarians around the world. We need to raise the funds to bring help to people with SCD. I believe that through determination we can achieve it, even if it is just one we get. I am ready to plead to get it. I’m sure that one TCD machine would save hundreds of children from having stroke,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr Annette Akinsete, the CEO/ National Director of Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria applauded Lekki Phase-1 Rotarians, and emphasised on the need for early screening of children with SCD.
Dr Akinsete, who was the guest speaker of the occasion decried the mortality rate recorded in the country owing to the non-implementation of existing policies at mitigating the spread of the disease.
“150,000 babies are born in Nigeria with sickle cell every year and more than 100,000 die before the age of five. What kills them? It is infection.
“Whereas if they are given preventative vaccinations and antibiotics early at infancy stage, they will not have those infections at all and they will make that milestone age of five and they do better. So it is very important to have newborn screenings”, she said.