A group under the banner of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorders has called on the Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to scale up regular genotype education across all 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
The organization also appealed to the wives of state governors to prioritize the welfare of children living with sickle cell disorders in their respective states.
The appeal, issued in a statement on Friday, was signed by the National Coordinator, Mrs. Aisha Maduagwu, and made available to journalists.
Maduagwu highlighted child trafficking, prostitution, sexual exploitation, and widespread ignorance as major factors fueling the sickle cell crisis in Nigeria. She specifically urged law enforcement to apprehend those behind the recent sex abuse scandal at the Morning Star brothel in Aguleri, Anambra State.
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According to Maduagwu, a disturbing video circulating online shows that 25 girls from Ebonyi, Imo, and Niger states were deceitfully lured into sex slavery and exploitation. She warned that such abuses perpetuate a cycle of vulnerability, indirectly contributing to the rise of sickle cell cases, stating, “The carriers are innocent, but the actors—parents—are the ones to blame.”
She emphasized that millions of children continue to be born with sickle cell disorders due to inadequate genotype education. “That is why we are calling on the Federal Ministry of Health to implement genotype education nationwide, to prevent the birth of more children with sickle cell disease and ensure intending couples undergo medical checks before conceiving,” Maduagwu said.
Condemning the Aguleri incident, she further urged relevant authorities, including the police, to prosecute those responsible. She also appealed to governors’ wives to take sickle cell issues seriously, noting that many victims come from disadvantaged backgrounds and cannot afford proper treatment.
