A Professor of Haematology and blood transfusion at the Edo University, Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area has decried the dearth of registered haematologists in the country, saying that they are just about 200.
The Professor, Marcellinus Uchechukwu Nwagu of the Department of Haematology and Blood transfusion in the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, expressed the concern while delivering the 17th Inaugural lecture of the University.
Nwagu, delivering the lecture titled, ‘We are transporters; We are soldiers; We are sealants; We swim in our waters, but we have our problems,’ said that the 200 professionals were providing service to a population of about 200 million, representing one haematologist to one million Nigerians.
He also disclosed that a study carried out among young doctors and final year medical students in the area they intended to specialise in showed that only 1.9 percent of them chose Haematology.
The lecture which centred mainly on sickle cell disease, however, called for a compulsory determination of sickle cell status among prospective couples before getting marry
Nwagu also advocated for a legislation to make sickle cell screening compulsory before marriage.
He also called for a free sickle cell screening immediately after birth so that from the onset the people would know their haemoglobin genotype, while those with the disease can start early treatment and follow-ups.
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“There should be a programme by the government to ensure cytotoxic drugs are available in our hospitals and affordable, just like the programme for HIV-drugs.
“Government should establish stem cell transplantation centres at least one per six geographical zones in the country. This will make the service available and affordable by average Nigerians,” he said.
The Professor, however, advised Nigerian first ladies to take as their pet projects the sponsorship of one Haematopietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) annually.
He opined that that would amount to 36 cases in a year and 142 in four years.
He further urged the Governments to provide aphaeresis machine and training/re-training of staff on its usage in all secondary and tertiary health institutions in the country.
The professor of Haematology and blood transfusion also urged the government at all levels to subsidize the cost of diagnosis and management of haematological cancers, provide up-to-date diagnostic equipment (morphology is not enough) and ensure implementation of health policy that would benefit patients with haematological cancers.
While noting that the only cure for sickle cell disease was successful Haematopietic Stem cell transplantation, he asserted that many adults don’t even know their Haemoglobin genotype, hence, he had a case of late diagnosis at the age of 45 years.
He however, stressed the need for the creation of more awareness, noting that awareness is still very low in rural communities especially in faith-based institutions/churches.
“We recommend more awareness to be created in the churches and free routine population screening to be encouraged even in primary schools,” he added.
Earlier, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Dawood Egbefo said inaugural lecture would soon be a key criterion for further academic progression in the institution.
“Inaugural lectures are designed to encourage professors to present their lectures within twelve months of their promotion to the rank as the idea is to foster a culture of intellectual exchange and scholarly contribution.
“It is also to encourage our younger professors to take advantage of this platform to share their expertise
“This is a valuable opportunity for them to outline their future research plans and showcase their work before achieving the rank of full professor,” he said.
