Commissioner harps on consistent sickle cells campaign in secondary schools
Sickle cells
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State) June 29, 2018 (NAN) Dr Paul Manya-Dogo, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, on Friday called for consistent education on sickle cells in Nigerian secondary schools to curtail its the spread.
He gave the advice during a lecture series organised by an NGO, Arewa Youth Trust Foundation, held at Hallmark International School, Zaria, Kaduna State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture series, organised in collaboration with Saffiyya Sickle Cells Foundation, touched on sickle cells anaemia, peaceful coexistence, girl child education and personal hygiene.
The commissioner, who was represented by Dr Adamu Maigari-Musa, the Medical Director of Limi Hospital, Zaria, said the call was necessary in view of the hardship the victims went through.
He said consistent education in secondary schools would not only create awareness, but would also reduce the spread of the disease.
Manya-Dogo lauded the efforts of Arewa Youth Trust Foundation for organising the “educative and impressive lecture series.”
In his lecture, Dr Aliyu Waziri, Consultant Hematologist from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, advised people to stop addressing the victims as sicklers, rather, they should be addressed as sickle cells anaemia patients.
He said the disease was neither contagious nor communicable, but hereditary as a result of marriage between persons with AS and AS or between AS and SS.
The medical expert advised people to go for genotype test before marriage, adding that “it is very important for all to know their genotype.”
In his presentation on Peaceful Coexistence, Prof. Kabir Danja charged students to promote peace at all times to pave way for peace in Nigeria.
He identified some threats to peaceful coexistence in the country to include religion, leadership, tribe and poverty, among others.
A pharmacist, Mrs Bilkisu Muhammad of Suffiyya Sickle Cells Foundation, who spoke on Girl-Child Education and Personal Hygiene, said that educating a woman was as good as educating a family.
She called on students to always take their studies seriously to enable them achieve the goals of sending them to school.
Alhaji Fahad Chikaji, the Chairman of Arewa Youth Trust Foundation, thanked Hallmark International School for preparing students to achieve the “pinnacle in their different life endeavours.”
He urged the students to take advantage of the lectures to enhance their knowledge, while educating others.
Chikaji praised the school for providing the foundation with an opportunity to bring the awareness campaign to the door steps of youths.
NAN reports that the foundation had visited orphanage centres at Gwargwaje and Tukur-Tukur, where they made some donations. (NAN)
KLM/KTO/TA
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Tajudeen Atitebi