Welcoming ABU Zaria’s stem cell transplant unit

On the 28th of January 2016 the House of Representatives passed a motion enabling the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria to open a Stem cell transplantation unit. The motion was sponsored by Hon Datti Garba representing Sabon Gari Constituency in Kaduna state. The stem cell transplant is a system where bone marrow is […]

On the 28th of January 2016 the House of Representatives passed a motion enabling the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria to open a Stem cell transplantation unit. The motion was sponsored by Hon Datti Garba representing Sabon Gari Constituency in Kaduna state.
The stem cell transplant is a system where bone marrow is transplanted into the system of a sickle cell patient. This is so far the best cure for sickle cell anemia, a genotype disorder whose main characteristics is pain and death. It is a conjoined triplet of Boko Haram AlShabab and ISIS. It is only acquired if couple with genotype AS gets married. There is possibility of some of the children becoming SS in genotype thus becoming sicklers. For us as parents of children with this disorder there can be nothing more relieving more soothing and more assuring.
To the sponsor of the motion and their colleagues on the House, may Allah assure them a place in the highest echelon of paradise. Whenever a sickler is in crisis the peace in the house is equally in crisis. The financial cost is unquantifiable. Many children have died as a result of this disorder. The significance of this development is that ABU Teaching Hospital is the first in the North. As of now there are two in the South one in the University of Benin and the other in The University of Ibadan. The irony of this is that out of about six million children in the country with the disorder about four million five hundred thousand are from the North! So now all the northern states can access this facility with logistics ease. On an African level neighbouring countries can also benefit from it. Secondly, the price of treatment can now be cheaper as each centre will compete with one another. The Ahmadu Bello University deserves congratulations for having a diversified service or product portfolio. They should excel as they have been doing always. I advise that they go for the most modern equipment for the transplant. They should have well trained staff as well. The wife of the President Hajia Aisha Muhammad Buhari who has shown interest in this issue should give her support. The President should show equal interest as having lost a daughter to the disorder, he knows what parents under go. Parents should make sure that their children do genotype test before marriage. Another legislator should raise a motion to have another centre in the North East. In closing, once more thanks to Hon. Datti Garba and his colleagues. I expect him to use the interest he has of the patients to use his personal as well as official links to ensure that the centre has a befitting status. The House of Reps Committee on Health should make as an oversight function regular visits to all the stem cell centres in the country. Adequate funding should also be made available to all the centres in the Country.
Umar Mohammed, writes from Afro32 Kauna Avenue, Abakwa GRA, Kaduna