No fewer than 1,250
girls from secondary schools in Katsina State are expected to
be screened during the exercise.
Daily Trust reports
that Katsina according to statistics from the state ministry of health of
2014 has about 17,000 sickle cell patients and the highest in the country.
Speaking at the flag up
of free genotype and malaria screening programme, The Secretary to
the Government of the State, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa said sickle cell was
characterized by high morbidity and mortality, where 50 percent of patients die
within the first ten years of their life.
Disturbed by the growing
trend, Inuwa said the administration has established 6 sickle cell clinics in
Katsina, Funtua, Malumfashi, Dutsin-ma, Daura and Ingawa local government areas
to check the disease.
In her remarks, the
state commissioner of Health, Mariyatu Bala Usman, the screening was aimed at
enlightening the students and the parents on the importance of
genotype test before marriage.
She added that was why
the government targeted secondary school students as part of measures
to eliminate the disease because of its hereditary nature.
No fewer than 1,250
girls from secondary schools in Katsina State are expected to
be screened during the exercise.
DAILY TRUST Report
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