A BILL for an Act to establish the Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centres has scaled second reading in the Senate.
The bill aims to drastically reduce the country’s high sickle cell mortality rate and improve access to specialised care for patients.
This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Sunday Katung (PDP-Kaduna) during Wednesday’s plenary.
The proposed legislation provides for the establishment of one Sickle Cell Centre in each of the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Centres will offer diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative services, while also serving as hubs for research, data collection and patient education.
Katung said that the initiative would provide a structured and sustainable approach to the management of sickle cell disorder, one of the most common inherited diseases in Africa.
He explained that they would not only deliver advanced medical care but also support families and communities affected by the disorder through counselling and public education.
The lawmaker described Nigeria as the global epicentre of sickle cell disorder, accounting for about half of the estimated 300, 000 newborns with the disease each year.
“Sickle cell disorder is the most common inherited disorder in tropical Africa, with over 650 children dying per day.
“In Nigeria, most of those with the most severe form of the disorder die before the age of five,” he said.
He, however, noted that more than 90 per cent of patients in high-income countries now survive into adulthood due to improved treatment and care.
“But Nigeria continues to record a high mortality rate because it lags behind in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
“In spite of the tremendous global scientific progress, Nigeria still records a very high rate of SCD complications and deaths because we have not fully implemented the treatment plans that have worked in other countries,” he said.
Contributing to the debate on the bill, Osita Ngwu (PDP-Enugu), described the bill as timely and important.
He said, “It comes from a genetic transmission, due to ignorance of the parents. This bill is timely and will go a long way in providing therapy and saving lives.”
On his part, Sen. Buhari Abdulfatai (APC-Oyo) said that the bill should prioritise enlightenment and rural outreach to sensitise more people on the disorder.
He said: “Most people don’t even know who to marry in terms of genotype compatibility.”
Similarly, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi) supported the bill, but expressed the view that the centres should be attached to university teaching hospitals to enhance research and reduce establishment cost.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau who presided over the plenary referred the bill to the Committee on Health for further legislative action. (NAN)
