It was a great day of joy and thanks for the students of College of Health technology, Daura, Katsina State as a serving Corps member, Mr. Christopher Nkemdirim organized a sickle cell awareness campaign and free genotype tests for students of the college.

According to Christopher, a 2016 batch A corps member and serving in the college, the awareness campaign stems from prevailing spread of the disorder as most intending couples in the North do not see the need for genotype tests before proceeding to marriage and as such risk giving birth to children who could unfortunately be carriers of the disease.

He asserted that many innocent lives have been lost and most marriages broken while some are on the verge of collapse simply because of ignorance on the part of couples and intending couples.

According to the graduate of Human Physiology from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, the awareness became a burden to him hence his aligning with the core mandate which the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme was established, which is raising selfless youths who would make impacts in their various communities of postings.

Delivering the seminar, the guest speaker, Dr. Mashud Hadi Gwadabe stressed the need for people to acquaint themselves with their genotype.

According to Dr. Mashud, sickle cell disease is inherited, which means it is passed from parent to child. "To get sickle cell disease, a child has to inherit two sickle cell genes-one from each parent. When a child inherits the gene from just one parent, that child has sickle cell trait. Having this trait means that you don't have the disease but you are a carrier and could pass the gene on to your children", he stated.

Also speaking at the event, a laboratory scientist, Mr. Emma Abia urged the students to spread the awareness campaign to their friends and family explaining the need for knowing one's genotype. According to him, genotype tests should be a prerequisite before accepting a man's proposal or vice versa.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director of the College expressed his happiness over the awareness campaign which he described as a welcome development. He commended the facilitator for such a laudable initiative.

High point of the occasion was the free genotype test for the students.

http://www.franklinonwubiko.com/2017/02/corps-member-carries-out-free-genotype.html?m=1

Cc: yokiti, Ogbeche77, CrazyMan

Nice one.
instead of folding his hand and complain he stood up to create a positive impact.