By Chioma Umeha
As the world marked Sickle Cell Disease Awareness
Day penultimate week, experts have reiterated the importance of early
diagnosis, saying it can prevent many difficulties and ease treatment, thereby
increasing the chance of patient’s survival.
To this effect, Lagos State, has announced that
testing for sickle cell disease will soon become a compulsory part of the
newborn screening programme.
Sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait can be
diagnosed with a simple blood test and can also be diagnosed before the baby is
born.
Speaking recently in an interview, Dr. Jide Idris,
Commissioner for Health in the state, said that the purpose is to diagnose
affected babies early in life and thus introduce timely and lifesaving
interventions that would manage avoidable suffering and possibly prevent death.
The test will utilise blood from the blood samples
used for other routine newborn screening tests, Dr. Idris said.
It can show whether a newborn infant has sickle
cell disease or sickle cell trait, the Commissioner added.
The prenatal (before birth) screening is done
using a sample of amniotic fluid or tissue taken from the placenta. The
placenta is the organ that attaches the umbilical cord to the mother’s womb.
This test can be done in the first few weeks of pregnancy for people who are at
high risk due to their genotype.
The incidence of sickle cell disease can be
reduced if intending parents have adequate information about genotype
compatibility.
According to a survey conducted in Abuja recently,
42 per cent of the respondents do not know what genotype is. This information
and genotype testing should be made accessible through religious and youth
organisations, the survey recommended.
There are four genotypes in humans – AA, AS, SS,
AC (AC being a variant of AS gene). Intending couples should know both their
own genotype as well as their partner’s genotype at the early stage of their
relationship before they are well rooted in love and emotions.
These can easily be checked through a blood test.
The Lagos State Health Ministry boss further noted
that there is need to provide adequate safe blood for transfusion to save and
support lives.
According to him, 104 donor drives were carried
out in various corporate organisations by Lagos State Blood Transfusion
Services (LSBTS) between 2016 and 2017 resulting in the recruitment of 3,694
voluntary blood donors.
This state regulatory body also screened 86,419
units of blood for both private and public blood banks during the last one year
out of which 82,016 were approved for use.
In the course of one year, six new private blood
banks were registered for accreditation while four were closed because of the
inability to maintain the state’s criteria for registration.
It is widely agreed that bone marrow transplant
can bring the hope of better treatment for sickle cell disease.
To this end, the Lagos State government donated
N200 million to Nigeria Sickle Cell Foundation for bone marrow transplant to
ensure that more residents benefit from this intervention, Idris said.
Though, bone marrow transplants can cure sickle
cell disease, the procedure has significant risks because transplants are not
appropriate for every patient, he observed.
Transplants are used primarily in young patients
who have severe sickle cell disease, Dr. Idris said, adding that the decision
to give this treatment is made on individual basis.
He enjoined governments at all levels to regard
sickle cell disease as a major public health issue deserving meaningful and
targeted government attention.
