By Augustus Bill
As the year draws closer to the end, the Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder has continued to shower Encomium on her Benefactors, as they keep up with the sensitization campaign on sickle cell disorder.
Speaking during her weekly Radio Program DARING EXPOSÉ at Unizik FM, the coordinator of the Association, Aisha Edward highlighted the four cardinal base factors that align with the Association to be prominently the Youths/ Schools, the Church, Mothers,and the Medical practitioners.
In explaining the role of the Church in the Association and her activities, Edward confirmed that the Church which they See as their Temple of Justice and Confident provides a therapy for her members who most times when they feel depressed, or dejected, seek the advice of the Clergies without paying any sort of Consultancy Fees. She said that the priests have a long role to play, as it would be recalled that the Church is a place where their fate is sealed during marriage.
She continued that the Church should ensure that her Catechists, Marriage counsellors or those empowered with grooming people for marriage, attend Genetic training to be able to counsel intending couples properly on the essence of genotype investigations.
Also, Aisha pointed that Medical Practitioners have formed a strong backbone for those living with the disorder, as they are usually the first point of call whenever the crisis set in. However, she advised against those parading themselves with claims of having drugs that cure sickle cell, She rather advised them to visit Hematologist and get a clearance from them, and only after the clearance has been received can the member be allowed to patronized them, as she is sure that Sickle Cell is in the DNA and as so has no cure but can be properly Managed.
The school, she said is another strong hold, since it is there that people are usually exposed to illicit affairs that can lead to both wanted and unwanted pregnancies and a possible delivery of a sickle cell child, because most students are unaware of their Genotype, and are usually ignorant of it when it comes to relationship especially when they Claimed that their Love has Gone BLIND.
Aisha prayed that through the help of the Commissioners for Education Genetics Education shall be made compulsory in both Secondary and Tertiary institution.
The coordinator also rolled out the importance of the mothers to the Association, as they are the first responders in any case of crisis, and they understand the excruciating pain the victims of the disorder pass through to maintain themselves, so it would only be worthwhile if they show empathy and liaise with the Association in her sensitization campaigns.
In the course of the program, Aisha appreciated the efforts of Mr Peter Obi, who she said had given the Association a loud voice in the society through his sponsoring of the Association’s media campaign on Radio and Encourage Others to Do same by Spreading it to many other Stations and Advertise their product too. She also thanked Prof. Stella Okunna for her dogged role in ensuring that the Association gets stronger.
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