‘Nigeria loses 100,000 infants to sickle cell annually’

As Nigerians joined the rest of the World to mark this year’s World Sickle Cell Day, at least 100,000 Nigerian infants die annually due to Sickle Cell Disease, SCD.

Meanwhile, Nigerian youths have been urged to know the genotype of their proposed spouses before marriage.

Speaking at an event organised by the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta to mark the day in Lagos,Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olubukola Temitayo Aseru, said Nigeria, by virtue of its population, stood out as the most affected country in Africa.

Aseru said 70 per cent of the over 300,000 children born annually with SCD in Africa occur in sub-Saharan Africa. He said one of four Nigerians has sickle cell trait, hence, the need for Nigerians to be sensitized about the existence, consequences, prevention and care of Sickle Cell disease before marriage.