Obasanjo donates blood transfusion machines to LUTH, others

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has donated 10 blood transfusion machines to nine federal and state-owned teaching hospitals and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria.

Obasanjo, who made this donation at an event marking the World Sickle Cell Day, organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, in Lagos on Thursday, said the equipment would go a long way to ensure safe blood transfusion in the country.

The hospitals presented with the certificates include the University College Hospital, Ibadan; Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital, Kano; the University of Benin Teaching Hospital; Benin, Edo State; Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria;   the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State; and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.

Obasanjo said Nigeria, with over 40 million healthy carriers of the sickle cell gene, would need more health facilities and financial support for her to improve access to standard treatment.

According to him, people with sickle cell disorder in developed countries lead normal lives and have an increased life expectancy due to their access to proper management.

Obasanjo noted that non-communicable diseases, which sickle cell is one of, was a health burden that requires both national and global attention.

He said, “Nigeria, with a population of over 40 million, carriers needs to be in the forefront of the fight for better management of sickle cell disorder. I believe that if we give the needed support for the health sector, medical practitioners in the country are in a better position to offer treatment to patients because they understand the plight of people with the disorder more than the doctors in the West, where SCD rarely occurs.”

The Chairman of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, highlighted that over 150,000 children are born every year with sickle cell disorder in the country and this is the highest in the Sub-Saharan Region.

He expressed optimism that access to affordable treatment would reduce thecrisis experienced by children in the early phase of their lives.

According to him, sickle cell disorder is a multi-system disorder that affects other organs in the body which can lead to stroke, partial or complete paralysis of the limbs, difficulty in speaking, and decreased brain function, among others.

A sickle cell carrier and survivor, who plays professional rugby in the United Kingdom, Mr. Ade Adebisi, urged parents to be the building block of support for their children with sickle cell disorder because most times people give up on their children when they are diagnosed with it.

“In the UK, I was able to access the right treatment and there was no stigmatisation. This built my resilience to survive over the years and I never gave up on my dream to play professional rugby. Also, eating the right diet helps a sickle cell patient live well and enjoy a normal life”.