On January 9, 2020, an article was published in The PUNCH titled, ‘Why we lost 80 of our members – Kano sickle cell club.’ I read the article with a heavy heart, to think that no less than 80 people had died from sickle cell disease in 2019 in Kano State.
I also read with concern how the secretary of the club, Mr A Muhammad, told reporters in Kano, that the development was because ‘economic challenges had made it difficult for most of the patients to afford constant medical services.’
For a family to lose a child to sickle cell is hard enough but to have no less than 80 people who died from sickle cell disorder in a state, is tragic.
Heartbroken as I was, I wondered, how many more people died from sickle cell complications last year from the other 35 states, due to economic hardship? I can bet you that the story from the sickle cell club in Kano, is not dissimilar to other stories of people who have died from sickle cell ccomplications in other states.
One of the reasons Muhammad gave was that there were no blood banks and they (the patients and their families) could not afford to pay hospital bills. As such, the patients couldn’t get to the hospital in time and by the time their parents brought them in, they were at death’s door and lost their lives.
Muhammad said, ‘Blood shortage is our serious challenge, occasioned by lack of money. We therefore call on the government to support us. We also call on the general public to assist us, especially with blood and other drugs.’
The story also mentioned that the director of Medical Services, Kano State Ministry of Health, dedicated a budget to procure medicines, consumables and finance the activities of sickle cell patients. The director of medical services said N50m was budgeted for blood transfusion services for the sickle cell patients and others.
I honestly don’t know far N50m would go? I have people who contact me, telling me they need financial assistance to have hip replacement/s due to avascular necrosis. An individual told me it would cost N5.5m for both hip surgeries. Like I said, I really don’t know how many people N50m would be able to help? What I can say is to appeal to the general public as Muhammad told reporters, to help people with sickle cell disorder across the country and not just in Kano.
Sickle cell is an expensive sickness, as one does not only get admitted in hospitals regularly, (depending on how sick one is); but SCD also involves taking daily tablets, having surgeries, getting blood transfusion or blood exchange, being given oxygen, taking supplements and most importantly eating well. All these cost money.
In the African continent where patients pay for their medical bills, this is quite a lot of burden to bear for anyone with sickle cell, especially if the patient is not financially capable of paying expensive hospital bills. As I read the story to the end, I could not help but think, how it would be wonderful if we all helped one person at a time.
Through this column, I have a lot of people who get in touch with me and so I know that a lot of people read the column. Can I encourage you to give financially to a person, or family who have children with sickle cell and you can tell that they could do with the help? My appeal is to support those who need financial assistance, as not everyone does. Can I also encourage you to perhaps volunteer your time and help out at a sickle cell club/clinic or foundation? Or buy some of the tablets that people with SCD need and take it to a sickle cell foundation or club in the town that you live in.
Can I further encourage you to give financially to NGOs who are in the frontline of sickle cell work? I know that some of you might say to me, that you don’t know any charities. Well, let me make it easy for you. I have always featured other people’s stories about sickle cell on this column. I have also featured people who have talked about the work they are doing in their local communities, so why don’t you support these NGOs or charities?
Or how about buying provisions, food stuff, fruits, and vegetables for someone with sickle cell or a family with children with sickle cell, when you can tell they could do with the assistance. If you don’t want to give cash, give in kind.
Or pay someone’s hospital bill; in effect, paying someone’s hospital bill is actually a good way to do something and not necessarily getting too involved in a patient or family as I can understand that some people do not want to get personally involved like that. I am okay with that, just do something, please. As a nation, a continent, we really need to be able to do better and reading a story about 80 people dying in a state ought to touch us all on a deeper level.
We should read such stories and think about how we can be of service. Closing our eyes to issues affecting many of us is not a moral thing to do. I bet you know someone with SCD. If you don’t have someone in your family with sickle cell, then you will know someone in your neighbourhood, a friend’s family member who has sickle cell or a work colleague, etc.
On the flip side of this, people have contacted me about someone’s story I featured on this page and they told me that they would like to financially support the person. For all of you who have done so last year, I thank you. I also want to thank my people, whom I reach out to and ask if they can cough up the odd amount because there is a sickle cell case that needs our attention.
Not everyone needs financial help and I get that. But the majority of people do, mainly if you live in Africa. On the other hand, some people just need words of affirmation and encouragement. I appreciate everyone who has reached out to me over the years, letting me know that what I write about is making an impact.
In conclusion, I am asking everyone or anyone who reads this to be purposeful and merciful this year and extend a hand of love to someone who has sickle cell disease, particularly if you can tell that they could do with some aid. To be purposeful means to be determined in following through about something. To be merciful means to relieve someone’s pain. I am appealing to Nigerians all over the country specifically and other people in their countries to show acts of mercy to people suffering from sickle cell. Reading that in Kano State 80 people died of SCD last year because of economic challenges is hard to process.
Thank you as you respond and reach out. If you would like to get in touch with me about issues relating to SCD, please do so on: t.dehinde@yahoo.com and do check out my blog: www.howtolivewithsicklece.co.uk
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