The Kano State Sickle Cell Club has revealed that 30 of its members died in October this year as a result of shortage of blood, often sourced from of willing blood donors.
Speaking to journalists in Kano on Thursday, secretary of the association, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said the patients died because they were in dire need of blood transfusion in order to save their lives, but could not get it as a result of its scarcity.
He added that the death of the patients had prompted the association to stage a blood donation campaign on October 29 to raise awareness and express appreciation to those who volunteered to donate.
He said the association, formed 25 years ago, was facing financial and material challenges, including lack of blood donation, adding that the problem had caused rampant death of its members.
“In October only, that is last month, 30 of our members died as a result of scarcity of donated blood. And this figure represented the sickle cell patients that registered with us at Murtala Muhammad Hospital only.
“This is why we staged a blood donation campaign. Thank God, people had answered our call as we received a lot of blood. But despite that the blood is not enough for our patients, especially in this Harmattan season where we have many crisis of the disease.
“So we still appeal to the general public to continue giving us blood as we will always be demanding it for our patients and we don’t have the money to buy,” he said
Mr Muhammad then called on the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to assist the association as it faces many challenges.
He also called on the wealthy individuals to give succour in order to save the lives of millions of youths and children suffering from the ailment.
He added that sickle cell patients need routine medication and nutrition to survive, lamenting that the current economic condition had really affected the patients.
