By Gabriel Olawale

In a bid to alleviate the pains and agonies of people living with Sickle Cell Disorder, SCD and their families, stakeholders who gathered at the Annual Scientific Conference of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos has called for free treatment of people living with SCD in public hospitals.

The stakeholders who examined the burden of the disease regretted the untold economic hardship the disorder has brought to the various families.

In his presentation, Editor of African Sickle Cell News & World Report Mr. Ayoola Olajide who is also living with the disorder, advised carriers of the trait intending to marry to have a rethink.

Olajide who spoke extensively on why the Federal Government should implement free treatment of SCD in all public hospitals across the nation said: “Parents are groaning under the very heavy financial burden of keeping us going.”

Speaking, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Iheanyi Okpala noted that, the genetic basis of sickle cell inheritance has been known for many years adding that only recently, the genetic knowledge has become useful in helping those families known to carry the sickle cell gene to avoid the birth of infants affected with the disorder.

Okpala noted that there is no universally effective cure for the disorder stating that “What they dofor now is to manage it and make things better.

His word: “Today, we do not have any universally cure. So what we do is to manage it, try and make things better”. “Symptoms and complications of the disease may include, swelling in the hands and feet, often accompanied by fever. Pains that can start suddenly and last for any length of time, etc.”.