Senator Sunday Marshall Katung representing Kaduna South Senatorial District says his long standing encounters with families affected by sickle cell disorder inspired him to sponsor the Sickle Cell Prevention Control and Management Bill now before the National Assembly.
He recalled that a childhood relative living with the disorder once expressed deep frustration during a severe health crisis, a moment that stayed with him for decades.
Katung explained that he first attempted to introduce a similar bill in 2016 when he was a member of the House of Representatives but it did not scale through. With his return to the National Assembly he said it became important to revisit the legislation because too many families have suffered from the impact of the condition. He also referenced the late Kaduna State Military Administrator General Mukhtar whose children faced repeated health complications.
The senator said the bill is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday after which it will proceed for final legislative consideration before being sent to the President for assent. He appealed to the media and all stakeholders to support the process noting that the legislation has the potential to meaningfully improve lives. He commended religious institutions that now insist on genotype screening before marriage saying the practice helps reduce avoidable hardship.
Katung highlighted the scale of the disease in Nigeria noting that of the 350000 babies born globally with sickle cell disorder each year about 150000 are Nigerians. He lamented the high cost of imported medication which is sometimes ordered months ahead from London and explained that the proposed legislation supports local drug production as well as the creation of treatment centres in every local government and centres of excellence in all six geopolitical zones.
On genotype screening he said that although many experts recommend premarital testing it must be introduced thoughtfully because of the country’s sensitive social context. He also addressed his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party saying his decision was driven by appreciation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s contributions to his constituency including establishing a Federal University a College of Medicine and a Federal Medical Centre within eighteen months.
The senator expressed concern about the infrastructural neglect in Kauru and Sanga areas describing them as some of the most underserved communities in Nigeria. He said lack of basic amenities such as roads bridges electricity and healthcare facilities worsens youth restiveness and insecurity. Katung added that his NGO quietly supports about fifty five sickle cell patients and reaffirmed his strong advocacy for women widows and orphans noting that his mother shaped his belief in women’s empowerment.
