The speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Engr. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji today brought a message
of hope to all the sufferers of sickle cell anaemia and their families and assured them that they will not be
abandoned in the state.
Mr speaker made the promise during an opening ceremoney of the stakeholders workshop on the implications of Abia State Law no.5 of 2018 which is “Abia State Identification of Blood group and Genotype Law 2018” which was organized by the office of the wife of the Governor and Vicar Hope
Foundation in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health and was held at the Vicar Hope Foundation Headquaters Umuahia.
Orji, congratulated the Vicar Hope Foundation and other collaborators for hiring the first shot at implementing Law No.5 of the 2018 Laws passed.
Mr speaker stated the purpose of the law as to “reduce the occurence of child mortality and to prevent untold pains and sufferings of individuals from blood group and genotype related challenges by ensuring that the blood group and genotype of individuals in the state are clearly stated on their
identity cards for easier access to healthcare”.
Also Orji sought to ensure that no institution or registry in the state shall perform any marriage ceremony for couples without ascertaining their genetype compatibility and blood group.
Orji assured the stakeholders in the fight to elimitate the disease that as House of Assembly Members, they are not just stopping at making Laws, rather they will ensure in the sensitization of their constituents on the dangers of the disease.
Engr. Chinedum Orji however, urged all Abians and sundry to go out and do blood tests and therefore thanked the wife of the Governor for organizing the workshop which is an objective aim to the elimination of the pandemic.
It is recalled that the Law was sponsord by Dame blessing Nwagba of the 6th Assembly and was
passed into Law after the wife of the Governor visited the house of assembly on an advocacy on the said subject.
