A consultant with Kebbi Sickle Cell Association (KESCA) says over 138,000 children are born annually with sickle cell disease in Nigeria.

He also said that 25 per cent of the citizenry are sickle cell carriers.

A consultant Hematologist of the association, Dr Garba Umar-Kangiwa, made this known at the celebration of World Sickle Cell Day in Binrin Kebbi on Friday.

“138,000 children are born annually with sickle cell disease, while 25 per cent of the citizenry are sickle cell carriers.

“The disease is inherited from the two parents, this has a colossal impact on the individual, the family, community as well as on the socioeconomic situation of the land.

“Sickle cell disease can cause stroke for toddlers between two and three years, care and treatment take a team of experts.

“General Surgeon, Ophthalmologist, etc, who see patients regularly, the intensive and extensive care has psychological trauma to the family.

“It also puts a lot of burden on the government, it involves enormous economic burden,” he said.

Umar-Kangiwa, who is a Specialist on Blood and its diseases at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, emphasised the importance of prevention above other measures of protection.

“In choosing a partner for marriage, both man and woman should go and know their blood genotype, any genotype not AA is abnormal.

“Those with AS, AC, SS, or SC, can only marry AA to be insulated from sickle cell, they must not marry anyone with abnormal genotype.

“We are advocating for a law that will make it compulsory for intending couples to go for test to ascertain their blood genotype before marriage to prevent giving birth to children with sickle cell disease.

“It is the most potent killer for under five children,” he lamented.

The celebration of World Sickle Cell Day is meant to raise awareness against the four genetic blood disorders and prevention.

They are sickle cell diseases, thalassemia, haemophilia and Von Willebrand diseases.

(NAN)