FG Inaugurates N57m Sickle Cell Facility For North-east In Gombe

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, September 16, (THEWILL) - A N57 million Sickle Cell Centre for the entire North-east region has been inaugurated at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, the Gombe State capital, by the Federal Government.

The facility also houses the Health Records Office of the hospital.

Inaugurating the centre, the Minister for Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the establishment of sickle cell treatment centres in the six geo-political zones of the country would ensure early detection of sickle cell in infants and even unborn children.

Briefing journalists shortly after the inauguration, the Minister said: 'It's not that the Teaching Hospitals and Specialists Hospitals across the country do not have units that manage sickle cell diseases but what we now have are special Zonal sickle cell centres that would have the best of facilities and would be dedicated to giving advanced care to sickle cell patients.'

Expressing satisfaction with the facilities at the centre which will cater for sickle cell patients in the six states of the North-East zone, the Minister assured that areas that were yet to be put in place would be completed as soon as possible.

The Minister also disclosed that faith – based organisations and the media have been engaged to counsel would-be couples on the dangers of the disease.

According to him, 'This will be achieved through the Health Promotion Programme unit of the Federal Ministry for Health, known as Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria.'

Conducting the Minister round the facility, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Abubakar Saidu, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for putting up the complex within a short time.

He expressed optimism that the facilities already in use would facilitate healthcare delivery for the people of the state and the entire North-East region.