The wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Zulaihat Rodda has advised intending couples to conduct test before getting married to avoid innocent children having sickle cell disease.
The first lady has advocated mandatory Genotype and HIV/AIDS tests for intending couples in the state.
Rodda made the speech during the launch of the donation of free sickle cell and anti-malarial drugs in Katsina on Monday. According to Rodda, the tests are very important especially in controlling the high risk of having innocent children contacted with Sickle Cell Disease.
She said that the HIV/AIDS test assist in preventing the mistakes of getting married to a carrier spouse .
The first lady said: “I call on the traditional and religious leaders, parents and others responsible for conducting marriages to comply with the state marriage law.
“And such couples should have evidence of a Certificate duly signed by a medical practitioner serving in that government hospital.”
“I look forward to fostering collaboration with philanthropists, local and international organisations towards sickle cell prevention and control in the state and Nigeria at large,”
The drugs was distributed as a collaboration between the governor’s wife’s pet project, the Safe Space Humanitarian Initiative, and the state’s Ministry of Health.
