They made the call during a seminar on “Managing Mental Health in Sickle Cell Disorder’’ and unveiling of an NGO, StrongCell Foundation, held on Wednesday in Abuja. Dr Ekaette David, a Hematologist Consultant, National Hospital, Abuja, encouraged parents, caregivers, government and other stakeholders to render support, care, love and understanding to sickle cell patients to enable them to cope and have balanced mental state.
David added that a good support system, physical activity, relaxation and regular medical health check-up would reduce the tendency of crisis and other diseases peculiar to sickle cell patients. She said “there is need to have good support system that patients can always reach out to talk to anytime, do things that would make them relax, engage in regular and less strenuous exercise, and regular health check-up to prevent complication.”
Dr Segun Soyombo, a Psychiatrist also at National Hospital, Abuja, decried the rate at which drugs were easily accessible to patients in the country, which he said contribute immensely to addiction. According to him, some patients with chronic health conditions such as sickle cell disorder, cancer, arthritis and others become addicted to drugs in their quest to find relief from pains. He, therefore, stressed the need for government, medical practioners, pharmacists and relevant authorities to ensure that drugs were administered and sold only with prescription.
On her part, Dr Chidinma Obieze, another Haematologist Consultant, advised people to show mental, psychological, emotional, financial and moral support to individuals suffering from sickle cell disease. Obieze explained that support to people suffering from the disease would encourage them to keep healthy lifestyle, reduce the tendency to be depressed, and make them not interested in drug abuse. Co-founders of the foundation, Ogar Uchechi and Hauwa Sani, both living with sickle cell anemia, encouraged similar individuals not to be deterred by their health status, but be challenged to strive hard.
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