From Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
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As the world marks World Sickle Cell Day, the Federal Government has been charged with declaring illegal marriages between sickle cell carriers across the country.
The advice was given by a sickle cell survivor, Dr Usman Lawal while speaking with newsmen after delivering a paper titled, “Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Globally in Osogbo to mark the 2024 Sickle Cell Day.
He disclosed that marriages between sickle cell patients have destroyed many homes, adding that the unions sometimes was due to wrong laboratory results issued to such person before their union.
While stressing that government should check the activities of various medical laboratory with a view to checking issuance of wrong genotype results, he advocated for the need for a marriage act that would criminalise union between sickle cell carriers.
“My number one appeal is that government at all levels should checkmate the activities of all medical laboratories in Nigeria to ensure they do not issue wrong result that could lead to two carriers marrying each other.
“Government should also ensure that marriage institution don’t join people that are not compatible together. A law should be put in place that ensure that even traditional, religious and even the court do not sanction marriages of couples that are not compatible.”
Meanwhile the convener and founder of ModuuperlerSC Advocacy Initiative, Modupe Sijuade, a sickle cell survivor stressed the need for federal government to ensure availability of drugs for victims to manage their situation.
The group gifted drugs to 50 sickle cell patients present at the event, while the convener advocated that the National Health Insurance schemes and State Insurance schemes should include patients medication on their policy to make life easier for patients.