Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin-City
Edo State Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor, has commended the Board Chairman, Edo State Sickle Cell Centre, Prof. Mrs. Caroline Omoti, for her initiative in re-positioning the Sickle Cell centre through various innovations introduced to ensure effective management of the centre.
Represented by Permanent Secretary, Edo Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Stella-Maris Imasuen who made the commendation during the presentation of Selfcare tool kits to people with Sickle Cell in Benin City by the Tonymay Foundation yesterday, said the centre has become a centre of excellence following the effective management of the Sickle Cell sufferers by the Board Chairman and her team.
Chairman Tonymay Foundation, Barr. Andrew Otokhina commended the Edo State Government for providing medical care and a centre for Sickle Cell Sufferers in the State.
Barr. Andrew Otokhina who commended Governor Obaseki for his commitment and dedication to the health and welfare of Sickle Cell Sufferers in the State appealed for 24 hours service to the Sickle Cell Centre.
Otokhina who donated the medical relief materials to the Sickle Cell Centre admonished Sufferers to always be hydrated, never fall into material crisis, avoids stress and infection for children in a bid to live a normal life.
He said the Sickle Cell is not a disease but a disorder and can be managed by medical professionals warning sufferers to desist from patronizing unqualified medical personnel in private hospitals.
Chairman Board Edo Sickle Cell Board, Prof. (Mrs.) Caroline Omoti who appreciated the donation by Tonymay Foundation appealed for more attention to the centre through allocation of funds and education and research to assist sufferers in provision of medical care.
Prof. Omoti disclosed that a total number of patient at the centre revealed a steady increase in the number of patients from 4,000 in 2014 to 7,573 in 2019 with an increment of 4,159 patients.
Omoti pointed that the commonest time of presentation was Vaso–occlusive and hyper haemolytic crisis noting that some of the proposed plan is to ensure total blood exchange unit/aphaeresis, prenatal diagnostic unit – newborn screening (West wing), small Radiological unit-trans cranial Doppler scan, specific days for Gentotic counseling and Research coordinating unit.