The federal government has said it would collaborate with relevant agencies, ministries and nongovernmental organisations in the fight to end the menace of sickle cell disease in the country.
Minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs, Senator George Akume, who stated this at the launch of an NGO, LA’ Grace Sickle Cell Foundation (LGSCF), in Abuja at the weekend, said the federal government is worried that Nigeria has remained the country with the highest number of sickle cell disease in the world.
Akume noted that in the past, a lot of attention has not been attached in creating the needed awareness and sensitization about the diseases in Nigeria, which he noted was responsible for the rising case of the disease in the country.
Represented by a senior staff of the ministry, Dr Lilian Ogbole, the minister pointed out that although the fight against sickle cell disease is not the primary role of the ministry, but it would collaborate with other ministries to ensure that Nigerians have nothing than the best in every aspects of life.
He said: “We are concerned about sickle cell anaemia because as you are aware, right now Nigeria is ranked as the country with the highest rate of sickle cell patient in the world. So, we in the ministry have roles to collaborate with other ministries to bring the menace of sickle cell disease to an end.”
Earlier, the founder of the NGO, Abdulrazeez Abdul, had frowned at the little attention being given to the menace of sickle cell disease in the country, which he noted was responsible for placing Nigeria as the highest case of the disease in the world.
Abdul stated that sickle cell disease deserves much attention, because so many Nigerians are suffering from it, but government and Nigerians do not know about this disease.
