By Omagha Idam
Following the demise of his first son Sadiq Modibbo Bature, 15 to Sickle Cell, the Spokesperson to Kano State Governor, Mallam Sanusi Bature DawakinTofa, is more determined to eliminate the disease in Kano State. He has set an ambitious target : “no child will be born with sickle cell by 2034 in Kano. No Child should or parent should face what we passed in the last 15 years”.
Announcing this commitment during the foundation-laying of the Sadiq Maddibo Memorial Quranic Centre in Dawakin Tofa, Bature outlined the state’s focused approach to tackling the disease.
He revealed his collaboration with the sickle cell community to launch a comprehensive advocacy program aimed at eliminating sickle cell births across Kano.
“With careful planning and a unified strategy, we can make sickle cell births a thing of the past in Kano State, insha’Allah,” Bature declared.
Central to this vision is the Kano Pre-Marital Law, which mandates genetic screening for couples, ensuring that marriages between carriers are avoided.
This law, supported by local religious leaders, aims to curb the genetic transmission of sickle cell disease.
Bature, who lost a son to sickle cell complications and has another child currently battling the condition, highlighted the devastating effects of the disease.
“Sickle cell is more dangerous than HIV,” he stated. It is our collective responsibility as citizens, advocates, and leaders to spread awareness and prevent high-risk marriages” he said.
Reflecting on his late son Sadiq’s lifelong struggle with sickle cell, marked by thousands of hospital visits and treatments, Bature stressed the critical role of pre-marital genetic testing in safeguarding future generations.
“This is a preventable tragedy,” he urged, calling on all residents to comply with the state’s mandatory testing to create a brighter, healthier future for Kano’s children.
