The founder of EYUM sickle cell Anaemia Foundation, Sandra EYUM, said during the week that sickle cell patients are stigmatised in the society.
She made this statement during a television interview Tuesday in Abuja. She added that sickle cell patient should be cared for and people should stop the stigmatization against them.
EYUM said the progress in combating sickle cell is low and awareness is very low as people shun away from it.
“Parents that have sickle cell patients don’t want people to know because of fear of stigmatization,” she said.
She noted that the society do not take sickle cell Anaemia as they seriously take HIV and Cancer.
“It affects your human life, everything is been watched and even in employment, once they find out that you have sickle cell, you will not be employed,” she said.
EYUM said creating awareness about sickle cell will help in reducing stigmatisation.
She urged the federal government to help care for the sickle cell patients in Nigeria.
