Expert seeks upgrade in sickle cell facilities

Mr Charles Emuchay, Managing Director, Excellence Medical Laboratory, has called on the Federal Government to upgrade diagnostic facilities in public hospitals to contain Sickle Cell Disease in the country.

Emuchay said this on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing 22nd Annual National Conference/Annual General Meeting, Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors of Nigeria, in Aba, Abia State.

The conference was themed: “Persistent Sickle Cell Disease in Africa: The Role of Private Medical Laboratories in its Mitigation and Possible Eradication.”

Emuchay lamented the unfortunate increase in sickle cell gene in Nigeria, in spite of efforts by governments, churches and non-governmental organisations to contain the disease.

He attributed the increase in sickle cell cases to wrong diagnoses and called on laboratory directors to do their best to correct past mistakes and ensure containment of the disease.

He appealed to the Federal and state governments to donate equipment to private laboratories for enhanced diagnosis.

He said this was necessary to stem the incidence of the disease because private laboratories received greater number of clients for pre-marital testing and counselling.

Emuchay urged medical laboratory directors to deliberate on how to provide accurate, reliable and cost effective methods of diagnosing coronavirus.

He said this would help to cut cost at this period when government at all levels was finding it difficult to maintain healthcare facilities and pay health workers due to the economic meltdown.

Sickle Cell Disease is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person’s parents, while the most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia.