The Sickle Cell Club at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, has urged parents and guardians of sickle cell anaemia patients not to indulge in traditional herbal as an alternative means of treating the ailment
Mr. Abas Owolabi, the Public Relations Officer of the Club, gave the advice on Thursday in Ibadan during a sensitisation /health talk programme.
The programme was organised by a former State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Oyo, Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu.
Owolabi said that the best way to manage the ailment was through medical approach, “not by taking traditional herbs”, warning that consumption of herbs will cause more damage to the patient’s body.
He calked for the support of all so as to reduce sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria.
He said that over four million Nigerians were suffering from the ailment.
He urged parents and guardians to ascertain the statuses of their children who were at the stage of getting married.
”Advise and prevail on your children and wards to go for blood test and be sure of their blood groups before assenting to any marriage proposal, to avoid anemia status,” he said.
Owolabi, who narrated what he had been experiencing as a sickle cell patient, said he, just like other sickle cell patients, ”were victims of silly mistakes of our respective parents.”
He urged all youths to be aware of their blood groups before venturing into the journey of marriage.
According to him, someone whose blood group is AS should not marry AS or SS.
The organiser of the programme, Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu, said the event was to give back to the communities she had worked with for 35 years.
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According to her, the consciousness of the aged men and women at the programme needs to be reawakened, to know their health’s status and what they can do to manage their health as they are aging.
“A lot of times, things do happen due to ignorant; so the participants need to be sensitised on what to do, what to eat and what they shouldn’t do or eat, to ensure that they are in good health.
“As far as God has helped me, I was able to provide them with minimum health requirements to strengthen their bones, immunity and keep their body system clean,” she said.
Participants were drawn from Ibadan South East, Ibadan Southwest, Ibadan Northwest and Ona-Ara Loca Government Areas.
Highlights of the event was the distribution of some drugs, items by the organisers to more than 100 aged people that attended.(NAN)