By Hadiza Musa
The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran, has raised concern over the high burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria, noting that Kano State is also heavily affected and requires urgent action.
He made this known on Friday while speaking during the commemoration of the this year’s World Sickle Cell Day, with the theme, “Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease.”
According to him, Nigeria carries the highest burden of sickle cell disease globally, making awareness and prevention efforts very important.
“Nigeria bears the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world, and it is important that we continue to inform the public about it,” he said.
He explained that the condition is a serious inherited blood disorder associated with repeated pain, infections, organ damage and early death, especially among young children.
“Sickle cell disease is a very serious condition that affects the blood. It causes recurrent painful crises, infections, stroke and can damage major organs of the body,” he said.
Speaking further, the commissioner said the situation in Kano is also alarming, with high prevalence across different age groups.
“In Kano, the prevalence is high. Among children under one year, it is about 1.5 per cent, while between ages one and five, it can rise to as much as 35 per cent. This is very alarming,” he said.
Labaran said the state government has introduced several measures to reduce the impact of the disease, including the establishment of a new sickle cell centre.
“We have completed a multidisciplinary sickle cell centre, fully equipped and ready for commissioning by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf,” he said.
He added that the government is also focusing on training healthcare workers and improving early diagnosis and treatment.
“Last year, we trained 120 healthcare workers. Early diagnosis and proper management are very important in reducing complications,” he said.
The commissioner stressed the importance of genotype screening, especially before marriage, as a way to prevent the disease.
“If carriers marry each other, there is a high chance of having children with sickle cell. But with proper screening before marriage, this can be prevented,” he explained.
He also revealed that over 10,000 patients have been enrolled in a special care programme for people living with sickle cell disease in the state.
“So far, 10,647 patients have been enrolled in the programme, which provides care for vulnerable individuals,” he said.
Labaran called on the public to take awareness seriously and support efforts to reduce the spread of the disease.
“Public awareness is key. People need to understand sickle cell disease so they can take steps to prevent it,” he added.