Succour for Ogoni sickle cell patients
From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Signing of the MOU
On Wednesday, February 7, 2012, the Deputy Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, and a Lagos-based firm, Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to tackle sickle cell anaemia in the state, particularly in his constituency.
Kwanee representing Khana Constituency11, decried a situation where the rural people did not see sickle cell as hereditary disease that kills very fast, rather attributed it to spiritual misery. He therefore, called for enlightenment campaign to educate them on it.
He wanted all stakeholders involved in the management of the disease to come together to address the problem. He said that he signed the MoU with Neimeth to provide relief and succour to many families and children in Ogoniland and beyond, who suffered from the ailment:
“You are witnessing today the signing of MoU between my constituency office and Neimeth, on a very touchy ailment, the sickle anaemia. Sickle cell anaemia, as a disease has been endemic to Africa with increasing rate of child mortality and in our part of Africa, it has wrecked havoc leaving many families in pains and sorrow.
“Every attempt to enlighten the rural people about it has not been very successful. Nonetheless, enlightenment campaigns should continue particularly, in marriage counseling. To those who are suffering from the problem, efforts should be geared towards helping them manage the ailment. Many sufferers are usually poor and ignorant and, therefore, lack the wherewithal to procure the drugs which are pensive. That is why the collaboration between my constituency office and Neimeth is expedient in dealing with the situation.”
Kwanee reiterated that the programme was aimed at complementing in a little way the health programmes of the state government: “This is my little way of complementing the health programmes of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who has been in the fore front of taking healthcare care service to the rural people of Nigeria. This understanding will be on the delivery of sickle cell management for all sickle cell sufferers in Ogoni and beyond, which involves diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia and administration and subsidization of drugs.”
He recalled that more than 1,000 people benefited from a free medical health care services provided by his constituency office in conjunction with World Outreach Missions, USA and Ogoni Christian Fellowship, last year:
Managing director of Neimeth, Mr. Emmanuel Ekunno, said that the company was enamoured of the idea of collaborating with Kwanee Constituency Office in reducing the burden of the disease on the constituents. He commended the efforts of the Deputy Speaker at ensuring healthy life of the Ogoni, particularly at this time the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report hammered on degradation of the environment and its consequent health implication.
