A Non-Governmental Organisation-La’grace Sickle Cell Foundation has been formed to bring succour and create awareness amongst people living with the disease in Nigeria.
Its founder, Abdul Abdulaziz, himself a patient, said he was moved to form the foundation because the “prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is highest in tropical Africa and currently, Nigeria bears the highest burden of 25-30% in approximately 2% of all births”.
According to him, this was not insurmountable because “with the right information the sickle cell anaemia can easily be avoided”.
Abdulaziz said he founded the organisation on February 14, 2019 with the following objectives:
- To reach out to the less privileged in the country who cannot afford the cost of the treatment;
- To encourage sufferers to embrace their condition and live a meaningful and productive life;
- To create awareness across the nation though the media especially in the rural areas where information about the disease is limited; and
- To work with other health organisations/ non-governmental organisations to tackle the prevalence of the disease.
The Founder said to achieve the objectives, La’grace Sickle Cell Foundation hopes to organise seminars and workshops on sickle cell disease as well as collaborate with primary and secondary schools in the country to enlighten the younger generation about the existence of the disease before it strikes.
He said plans were on to formally launch the foundation at later date in Abuja.
