DTHA PASSES STATE SICKLE CELL CENTRE BILL

The Delta State Sickle Cell Centre Bill has been passed by the State House of Assembly.

The passage of the bill followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Honourable Tim Owhefere, for the House to resolve into a Committee of the Whole to continue the consideration of the report of the House Committee on the bill seconded by Honourable Daniel Yingi and adopted .

At the Committee of the whole, the bill was considered from clause six as clauses one to five had earlier been considered.

Reporting progress at the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, said members painstakingly went through the bill with  explanations, contributions and amendments made .

Thereafter, the Majority Leader, Honourable Tim Owhefere, moved for the third reading and passage of the bill, seconded by Honourable Samuel Mariere and the motion was adopted.

The Speaker thanked members for the passage of the bill saying that it with create awareness on the Sickle Cell disease and how best to avoid it as well as help Deltans live healthier.  

The Delta State Sickle Cell Centre bill is for a law for the  establishment of a center vested with the power to collect, coordinate and distribute data, best practices and findings regarding the programmes.

Speaking on the passage of the bill, the Chairman, House Committee on Health Honourable Alphonsus Ojo, said the bill when signed into law would help provide a centre primarily for the education, awareness, treatment and care of sickle cell sufferers .

Honourable Ojo, who co-sponsored the private member bill, noted that over sixty percent of sickle cell sufferers die before the age of eighteen, though it is preventable but not curable .

The lawmaker said the proposed law would provide support for sufferers, stressing that the wife of the state Governor and founded 05 initiative ,Dame Edith Okowa, had set up Sickle Cell Centres  in different local government areas across the state to assist persons living with the disorder to get treatment and education .

Honourable Ojo, who represents the Ukwuani constituency in the House, said the law when operational would also create employment as a Centre and a Board would be set up with personnel,  adding that the Board would have a Chairman and three members, one each from the three senatorial districts