Ahead of the 2021 World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, a 55-year-old survivor, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, has pledged to enrol 100 indigent Sickle Cell patients on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Mohammed, a Chartered Accountant, said this in a statement ahead of the public presentation of his book on Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD), entitled, “I’m a Survivor: The story of my triumph over sickle cell pain”, next Saturday in Abuja.
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According to him, the book chronicles his life story as a SCD survivor and that it was also on his travails, and survival strategies, which he noted will guide many Nigerians and non-Nigerian in his shoe on how to navigate the murky water of the disease.
He said that the date was specifically chosen to coincide with 2021 world sickle cell awareness day wherein there will be a presentation by Josephine Olunaike, a sickle cell warrior and founder of Beuleh Sickle cell foundation on the theme, “Sickle Cell Disorder Awareness”.
“One of my key projects to commemorate the book launch is enrolling 100 indigent Sickle Cell Patients on the National Health Insurance Scheme. This will allow this vulnerable set of people to have access to health care for their precarious health condition,” he said.
He added that expected guests include Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Managing Director of Matrix Energy Limited, Alhaji Abdulkabir Aliu; Justice Ajoke Adepoju of FCT High Court and a former MD of Media Trust Newspapers, Alhaji Isiaq Ajibola.
“The book, gives detail information on management of SCD, attitudes and habits a warrior requires for living a productive life despite the challenges posed by the disorder. Many tips are also given to parents, family members, friends and caregivers on how best they could be of help to warriors and lots more.
“SCD is by far the commonest inherited blood disorder in the world with about 75 per cent of cases occurring in Africa. Nigeria has the highest prevalence of SCD with about 40 million carriers of the trait and about 150,000 born every year with the diseases (WHO),” he said.
On the importance of the book, among other objectives, Mohammed said it seeks to check the increasing tide of sickle cell disorder and guide young couple how to raise a healthy family.
