Abia promises health insurance for sickle cell patients

The Wife of Abia Governor, Priscilla Otti, has promised that the state government will provide health insurance coverage for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients in the state.

Mrs Otti disclosed this in Umuahia on Wednesday while addressing SCD patients during the Abia SCD Day celebration at Abia State Specialist Children Hospital, Umuahia.

“I am aware of the financial and emotional burdens that Sickle Cell Disease patients and their families are carrying.

“I assure them that the Ministry of Health is going to provide them with health insurance,” she said.

Mrs Otti said the step was to reduce financial stress on SCD patients and their families.

She urged Nigerians to make informed health decisions that could lead to a reduction in SCD cases.

She reiterated the need for prospective couples to screen for genotype compatibility before marrying to save future generations from the pains of SCD.

Joseph Uko, a pastor and the Abia State coordinator of non-communicable diseases, said that Abia people were marking World Sickle Cell Disease Day because of the importance of helping SCD patients.

He said that creating awareness about SCD, quality medicare, specialised services, effective treatment and management strategies, as well as providing emotional support and resources, would improve SCD patients’ lives.

He said the awareness was meant to ensure that improved information and management strategies were shared for improved lives for SCD patients.

The Abia Commissioner for Health, Enoch Uche, said the disease was prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He said that sickle cell disease was an avoidable enemy.

Mr Uche urged the youth to discuss genotype compatibility before going closer to the opposite sex.

He said that if not well managed, SCD could reduce a patient’s life expectancy by 20 to 30 years.

An SCD patient, who is the Abia Focal Person for The Sickle Cell Survivors Forum, Victoria Akujuobi, thanked Mrs Otti for the support for SCD patients.

She said that from January 2023 to September 2023, the forum lost eight people to the disease.

Ms Akujuobi regretted the inability of parents and SCD patients to get adequate resources for their treatment.

She urged health workers to treat SCD patients with love and empathy.

She also urged Nigerians not to discriminate against the patients, saying that such discrimination had caused some to commit suicide.

Earlier Ugomma Emmanuel, a caregiver, regretted that SCD caused young patients not to concentrate on studies.

She appealed for assistance from governments and well-meaning individuals and groups for the patients.

(NAN)