NYCN Lagos East ‘Genome Project’ Detects Rare Genotype In Bariga Slum

• Records 76% AA , 14% AS, 7% AC and 3% SC with 24% of the population having sickling gene traits.

The Sickle Cell Awareness Flag Off in Ilaje, Bariga witnessed a massive turnout of local residents who have little or no knowledge of gene education and the implication of genotype education in healthcare indices as genotype results in the community show rare cases of Ac and Sc Genotype among the community.

The Executive Director of CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Clinic Ms Timi Edwin who is the brain behind the initiative of the awareness and provided Technical support for the program gave an account of community participation in the outreach with a total number of 598 attendees as captured in the attendance of the program with 175 Genotype test conducted.

According to the Vice Chairman of the National Youth Council in Lagos, Comrade Abdulfatai Ajibola Are, the goal of the awareness is to educate communities across the senatorial district about sickle cell anaemia as Nigeria is presently rated top of the radar globally as the country with the most sickle cell patients and results coming from this outreach shows a pragmatic approach has to be done to reduce this impending health disaster which has a potential to reduce the economic viability of the country workforce in the nearest future.

Comrade Are further said the tentacle of the program would be replicated across the district on a monthly basis to less privileged communities.

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The program is expected to run through the year and into the early part of the new year and expect to have reached a high number of people expected to be captured in the Gene Education net and those found to have traces of sickling gene would be admitted into the sickle cell clinic of the organization with the supply of free drugs and treatment on a monthly basis to patients.

Comrade Caleb Olonitola, the Public Relation Officer of NYCN Bariga gave the vote of thanks and appreciated the effort of the management of the Lagos State owned Love Lagos Ferry jetty Ilaje, Bariga, executives and members of National Youth Council of Nigeria Bariga local branch, Independent Youth of Bariga and LIRA Foundations

Creating a society where the potentials of our Youth are well harnessed, well developed, well-deployed and well rewarded for the betterment of all is our Goal at NYCN Lagos East.

Kausara Omowunmi Olaleye
Head of Media
NYCN Lagos East