Sickle Cell Warriors – Over 150,000 Babies Born in Nigeria Annually
In ILORIN, KWARA – “Pray hard,” the doctors implored Morufat Abimbola Ayodele, whose 12-year-old daughter’s health condition had worsened. Young Morufat he suffers from sickle cell disease.
From Delta to Enugu to Taraba States, the number of children to adult ratio who suffer from sickle cell continues to rise. It begs the question: are there enough media and social advocacy campaigns warning Nigerians the life long impact of the disease when couples with “AS-AS genotype” or “AS-SS genotype” chose to have children? That for every 4 in on 1 chance, they will most likely give birth to a child with the sickle sell disease? Is ignorance fueling this rise or are faith miracles at the root of couples defying the odds?