Sickle Cell: Genotype Misdiagnosis, Quackery Put Families At Risk

Painful idiosyncratic stories person revealed the devastating consequences of genotype misdiagnosis, leaving galore families raising children with sickle compartment illness (SCD) contempt believing they had taken the close precautions earlier marriage.

One of specified lawsuit is that of Mrs. Agbo, a parent of 3 successful Dagbana, Abuja, who recounted however she and her hubby were declared genotype-compatible earlier marriage. Years later, they discovered their past kid was SS.

“We did the genotype trial arsenic requested by the church. My effect showed AA and my husband’s AS. We thought we were safe. But our 3rd kid fell sick repeatedly, and aft respective tests, we were told she is SS. We were misdiagnosed, and present we are near to woody with the consequences,” she lamented.
Another victim, Mrs. Mary Ukaibe astatine Nyanya, successful Abuja shared a akin ordeal. She was initially certified AA but aboriginal discovered she was AS. “Luckily, my hubby is AA. But ideate if helium were besides AS, we could person unknowingly had children with sickle cell. It’s frightening,” she said.

According to the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the surge successful genotype misdiagnosis is mostly fueled by quackery, fake reagents, and poorly regulated laboratories.
AMLSN President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, warned that galore couples are misled into believing they are genotype-compatible, lone to aboriginal observe different aft giving commencement to children with SCD.
“Misdiagnosis occasioned by quacks and substandard reagents is contributing importantly to the rising fig of sickle compartment births successful Nigeria. This occupation cuts crossed some nationalist and backstage laboratories, worsened by uncalibrated instrumentality and anemic oversight,” helium told LEADERSHIP.
He revealed that adjacent professionals hazard being deceived by fake products flooding the market. “If I, with my knowledge, could astir beryllium misled, ideate the information to unsuspecting practitioners,” helium said.

Dr. Ifeanyi tasked the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to urgently measurement up regulation, guarantee reagent validation, and enforce instrumentality calibration crossed laboratories nationwide. He besides urged religion institutions, civilian society, and accepted rulers to intensify nationalist enlightenment connected the dangers of marrying 2 carriers.

Nigeria bears the world’s heaviest load of sickle cell, with astir 25% of adults carrying the cistron and implicit 150,000 babies calved with the information annually. The illness accounts for astir 8% of babe deaths successful the country.

Despite this, backing for probe and section solutions remains minimal. Dr. Ifeanyi stressed that donor agencies supporting malaria and HIV should besides put successful sickle compartment research, fixed its endemic nature.
Supporting this call, Prof. Obiageli Nnodu, Special Adviser connected Sickle Cell to the Coordinating Minister of Health, cited the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey, which estimated that 4 cardinal Nigerians unrecorded with SCD. Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) puts the fig astatine 7.7 million.

“Sickle compartment illness is not conscionable a nationalist interest but a planetary wellness challenge. We request stronger policy, legislative support, and coordinated NGO advocacy to marque existent impact,” Prof. Nnodu said.

The Federal Ministry of Health besides reaffirmed its committedness to tackling SCD done aboriginal diagnosis, consciousness campaigns, and improved entree to prime care.

“Sickle compartment illness is some preventable and manageable with the close policies and objective interventions. It is not conscionable a wellness issue—it is simply a societal situation that demands corporate responsibility,” said the ministry’s spokesperson, Alaba Balogun.