Kwara Launches Genotype Awareness Campaign, Urges Young People to Get Tested Before Marriage to Prevent Sickle Cell Disease.

Kwara Launches Genotype Awareness Campaign, Urges Young People to Get Tested Before Marriage to Prevent Sickle Cell Disease.

The Kwara State Government has called on young people across the state to ascertain their genotype status before marriage as part of renewed efforts to reduce the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria.

The appeal was made during the launch of a statewide genotype screening and awareness campaign tagged “Know Your Genotype,” organised by the wife of the Kwara State Governor, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and the Concerned Medics Foundation.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam, the governor’s wife emphasised the importance of early genotype screening and public education, particularly among adolescents and young adults, to enable them to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and future marriages.

She highlighted Nigeria’s significant sickle cell disease burden, noting that approximately six million people are living with the condition, while an estimated 150,000 affected babies are born annually.

Abdulrazaq stressed that early awareness of genotype status could help prospective couples understand their genetic compatibility and the potential risk of having children with sickle cell disease.

She also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, churches, mosques and other faith-based institutions to support the campaign by incorporating genotype awareness into their community engagements and religious teachings.

The governor’s wife further urged parents to take responsibility for knowing their children’s genotype status and ensuring that relevant medical records are properly documented before they reach adulthood.

500 Students Screened as Campaign Targets 1,000

Speaking at the event, the immediate past Chairperson of the Concerned Medics Foundation and Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Sadiya Gumi Bennett, disclosed that 500 students had already undergone genotype screening under the initiative.

She explained that the programme was expected to reach approximately 1,000 students, with the screening conducted under appropriate parental consent arrangements.

According to her, seven students identified during the exercise had been referred to hospitals for further confirmation and appropriate medical management.

Gumi Bennett also advocated expanding genotype screening programmes to schools, arguing that early identification could help ensure timely medical attention, counselling and support for affected children.

She called on the state government to consider making genotype testing a routine component of school health programmes.

Kwara Government Highlights Support for Sickle Cell Patients

The state government also highlighted existing interventions aimed at supporting people living with sickle cell disease.

Abdulrazaq disclosed that the government had provided free health insurance coverage for people living with the condition in Kwara, an initiative intended to reduce the financial burden associated with treatment and long term healthcare.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with relevant organisations to strengthen preventive healthcare and improve the wellbeing of adolescents and young people.

The Principal of Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Mrs Monisola Alanamu, also commended the initiative, describing it as an important intervention that could improve students’ health outcomes and school attendance.

Why Genotype Screening Matters

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects haemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body.

The condition can result in chronic anaemia, severe episodes of pain, infections and other potentially life threatening complications.

Medical experts emphasise that genotype screening before marriage is an important preventive measure because it helps individuals understand the possibility of passing inherited blood disorders to their children.

For instance, when both partners have the AS genotype, each pregnancy carries a 25 per cent chance of producing a child with sickle cell disease (SS), a 50 per cent chance of producing a carrier child (AS) and a 25 per cent chance of producing a child with the AA genotype.

However, experts stress that genotype results should be confirmed through appropriate laboratory testing, with genetic counselling provided to couples to help them understand their reproductive options without discrimination or stigma.

Kwara’s latest initiative reflects growing efforts across Nigeria to strengthen public awareness, expand access to screening and encourage informed reproductive health decisions.

As the campaign progresses, its effectiveness will depend not only on the number of people screened but also on sustained public education, accessible testing services, professional counselling and continued support for individuals and families already affected by sickle cell disease.