The Anambra State capital, Awka, took her routine physical walkouts to another dimension, on Sunday, as the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Akabuike Joe, led the Who’s Who in the state on a Walk in Honor of those living with Sickle Cell Disorder.

 

The walk which was tagged “Anambra Walks to Life”, commenced around 6:30 a.m. from Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) complex, through Unizik-Arthur Eze Avenue, Eke Awka and through Jet Filling Station and finally ended up at ABS complex for the ceremony proper.

 

More than 2,000 marchers, including Akabuike, Mr. Uche Nworah, the Managing Director of ABS, Hon. Pharm. Obinna Emenaka, member of the State House of Assembly, some media houses, representatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), representatives of the wife of the governor and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, members of the Red Cross and Federal Road Safety Commission took to the street bearing banners announcing the need to care for sickle cell patients and prevent further production of sickle cell babies.

 

In her speech, during the event, the Co-ordinator and President of Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, Aisha Maureen Edward, expressed her delight at the honour being accorded sickle cell patients by the state.

 

 

She said that the event was a climax to an awareness campaign she, through her association, initiated earlier in the year, given the dismal way the issue of sickle cell disorder had hitherto been treated and the fraudulent practices of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that use the name of sickle cell to amass wealth for themselves.

 

While expressing gratitude to the state government, the Anglican and Catholic Church for their contributions towards actualisation of the programme, she said that Anambra State Government had pledged twenty one job slots for the people living with sickle cell anemia.

 

Akabuike observed that some people were taking advantage of people living with sickle cell anemia to enrich their purse and expressed dismay over what he described as an inhuman act.

 

While congratulating Ms, Aisha Edward on her energetic approach towards the fight against the sickle cell scourge, Akabuike reassured the group that his ministry would partner with them in the fight against sickle cell.

 

By: Nkiru Nwagbo