The SOM SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION in collaboration with Yakubu Gowon Centre will on Tuesday 29th November hold the first National Dialogue with the theme: ‘Better Life for Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder’.
This is contained in a statement by the Chief Executive of the SOM SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION, Mallam Shehu Olaitan Mohammed.
According to Mohammed, the Dialogue is part of its public engagement and advocacy initiative to raise more awareness about sickle cell disorder and call attention of various stakeholders to the need to curb the menace of the disorder in the society, considering the fact that Nigeria has the highest rate of the prevalence of the disorder in the world.
The event which is slated for Merit House in Maitama, Abuja, would have the Minister of Health, Prof. Osagie Ehanire; and Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen as Special Guests of Honour, while Professor Aisha Indo Mamman, a Consultant Heamatologist, ABUTH Zaria, Kaduna State will be the keynote speaker.
Other speakers slated for the event are Prof. Muhammed Nasir Sambo, DG/CEO National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA); Dr. Olusegun Shoyombe, Consultant Psychiatrist, National Hospital, Abuja; Pharmacist Zainab Ujudud Sheriff, Director Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja; and Hauwa Usman Sani, Sickle Cell Warrior and Advocate Founder, Strong Cell SCF.
The Chairman of the occasion is Former Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi; while other Special Guests of Honour are the President of the National Council of Women Society (NCWS), Hajiya Lami Adamu Lau.
The Royal Father of the day is His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Usman Nga Kupi, the Sapayi of Garki.
Other expected dignitaries include Alhaji Isiaq Ajibola former MD of Daily Trust newspaper and Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha Dangi the Sarkin Dawakin Nupe.
Other side attractions at the event would be free genotype testing; and free distribution of drugs and books on sickle cell disorder.
The flagship intervention activity of the foundation is the free enrolment of 100 indigent sickle cell patients on the NHIS, with the enrollees selected from all over the country.
It would be recalled that the 56-year-old Shehu Olaitan Mohammed, a chartered accountant, had on June 19, 2021, presented to the public, his book on Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) in Abuja.
The book, entitled: ‘I’m a Survivor: The story of my triumph over sickle cell pain’.
SOM SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION based in Abuja whose mission is enhancing the total well-being of sickle cell patients, is founded by Shehu Olaitan Mohammed who himself is a Sickle cell survivor.
