Hassan a Karofi
18 November 2008
Kano — Sickle cell anemia patients will henceforth enjoy free medical care in Kano State as part of the new intervention by the state government on health care.
The state's Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Aisha Kiru disclosed that already patients with hernia, cleft lip, cataract, VVF, pregnant women and accident victims are also to get free medical care in the state.
The commissioner who disclosed this during the hand over of drugs and treated nets to the hospital management board said the free medication was reserved for patients who attend sickle cell clinics at Hasiya Bayero pediatric hospital and Murtala Mohammed specialist hospital. She said government would continue to consider the plight of the less privileged in its policies and programmes. Sickle cell patients are vulnerable to malaria attacks hence the decision of the government to give free treated nets to each of the patients. While calling on all sickle cell patients in the state to register at the two hospitals for free treatment, she said government was determined to rid the state of the disease.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Sani Zango said government had expended so much to upgrade facilities in public hospitals across the state, hence the need for people to utilize the facilities with care. He challenged patients to always come forward for medical attention and not wait until it is too late to be cured.
The Director General of the state's hospital management board, Dr. Ibrahim Yakasai said the drugs would be used for those intended for and warned that that only patients that attend the sickle cell clinics would be treated free.
The president of the sickle cell club, Malama Rahima Aminu thanked the state government for the gesture and said that such intervention would reduce the pains associated with the disease as well as assist those who cannot afford their medical bills.
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