Sickle Cell: Foundation Takes Enlightenment Campaign to Abuja IDP Camp with Free Testing

The residents of the Malaysian Garden Internally Displaced Persons camp in Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory has commended the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Hafeez Adeyemi Sickle Cell Foundation, for the health outreach the foundation brought to the doorsteps of the residents.
The chairman of the camp, Chakune Lawa made the commendation when journalists sought his reaction to the medical outreach during which some of the residents of the IDP were tested, after a sensitization on what Sickle Cell is and how it can be prevented.
“I want to commend them greatly for this gesture. We are really happy. For them to remember that we are here is of great happiness to us. It shows that there are people who still have us in mind and cater for us in different ways…”, Chakune said.
On his part, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Hafeez Adeyemi Sickle Cell Foundation explained that the foundation is engaging in outreach to sensitize people about the sickle cell disease, how it can be prevented and how those who suffer from it can be managed.
He said taking the message to the most vulnerable, to those who have little access to medical care, who might not even know what the disease is about was his way of spreading the awareness.
“We decided to start this outreach where the people have little or no resources of knowledge of this disease, sickle cell.” “The IDPs are part of the society. They shouldn’t be forgotten. The last time we came here I noticed about two sickle cell warriors. Many of them don’t know what genotype is. They don’t know about compatibility and that is why we are here. To let them know who their compatible partner is when the result is out, ” Hafeez said.
He said the Foundation was poised to ensure that more people understand the phenomenon of Sickle Cell disease especially in the IDP camp. “they have large population and that is why sensitization like is key and will go a long way in helping them make informed decision.”

Beyond the medical outreach the IDP Camp chairman lamented the neglect of the camp by government and its agencies, adding that the camp lacked basic amenities such as water and healthcare centre.
“We are suffering”, he lamented, adding that “we have been forgotten by government. Water we don’t have. Health care centre we don’t have. Yes, the Refugee Agency is trying. When we have sick patient, we go to them to take note and then we are referred to the National Hospital. But come to think of it, what of cases of emergency, we are left with no solution. Agip came to dig manual borehole for us last time, but it is sad that it packed up just after three months and stopped working.”
‘’We took it upon ourselves to see if we can do anything, and we started levying ourselves fifty naira to fix it anytime it got bad. It got to a time, the people expressed their tiredness and unwillingness to continue contributing that money, so we has to stop it and since then it has been abandoned.”
Another member of the camp, Helen Elisha while corroborating Chakune lauded the Refugee Commission for setting up a fashion empowerment centre in the camp that has kept the women and young girls engaged.
“This is a very good initiative. We are getting occupied with it.”
She commended the Hafeez Adeyemi Foundation for bringing the sickle cell sensitization to the camp, while charging government to do more in the area of primary health care.
“This sickle cell is what people must be educated on. We are grateful to this organization for remembering us today. Let government join hands with them to do more.”

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