By Abuchi Onwumelu
The Catholic bishop of Awka Diocese, HisLordship
In this interview withhis
In this interview withhis
Excerpts
Research has it that, despite the fact that we now live in
an information age, babies with sickle cell anemia are still being
born. How do you react to this and what is the Church doing to stem this
tide?
It is unfortunate that there are still cases of sickle cell anemia. One would expect that as the awareness of the challenges that sickle cell anemia poses to those who suffer from it, determined steps would have been taken to ensure that no one is born with that condition. This is however not the case as a result of a lot of factors. First, in as much as we can be said to be in the information age, it has to be noted that what has happened is that it is easier to access information now than in previous years. This does not however mean that the average level of awareness of socio-economic, political and medical issues in our community is satisfactory. It is still the case that so much of the information out there in the public domain are inaccessible to many people in our communities, either because of illiteracy or poor educational background. So, I will not be surprised that many people in our communities do not know much about sickle cell anemia and therefore cannot be expected to take the necessary precautions to prevent more people coming into the world with that condition. The second point is that the health challenges that those with sickle cell anemia put up with are sometimes explained in terms of what is called “spiritual attack.” This diagnosis favors resort to deliverance prayers, vigils and other spiritual exercises as remedies. Some of the so-called men and women of God who propagate such views about illnesses hijack consciousness and channel it to the spiritual realm with the result that the precautions that should be taken to forestall such illnesses are completely ignored. As already said, it is quite unfortunate that there is such a level of ignorance and misinformation in our communities.
As always and in line with the Biblical injunction in
Ecclesiasticus 38:1-15, the Church champions the cause that the
intellect given to human beings by God is for a purpose. Science and
technology, rightly understood and practiced, are part of God’s
providential plan for guiding the world. Therefore, the Church takes
seriously the scientific finding that the health challenges faced by
patients of sickle cell anemia are rooted in the genetic endowment they
receive from their parents. Consequently, the Church makes it mandatory
that intending couples should know their genotypes. The Church also
discourages people most likely to have babies with sickle cell anemia
from getting married to each other. This way, if people most likely to
beget children with sickle cell anemia are discouraged from getting
married, the condition will resolve itself over time.
One of the major challenges of sickle cell patients is that
of stigmatization, both from immediate family members and the general
public. How is the Church helping to correct people’s wrong perception
of sickle cell carriers?
The greatest source of the stigmatization of sickle cell
patients is the interpretation of the phenomenon in terms of “ogbanje”
or in terms of malevolent spirits who decide to be born as human beings
in order to cause misery to their families through their health
challenges. In these interpretations, the sickle cell patient is treated
as if he or she is not a patient but the agent of the misery of the
parents. Such perspectives are heightened by the interpretation of
sickle cell anemia in terms of “spirit forces.” The Church however
defends the medical interpretation of sickle cell anemia. From this
medical point of view, sickle cell patients are rather victims of the
ignorance or the foul-hardy decisions of their parents who have the
genetic pre-disposition that could result in the begetting of offsprings
with sickle-cell anemia. Sickle cell patients are therefore entitled to
the support of the society and should not be treated otherwise.
Many folks have hidden behind the name – Sickle Cell
Foundation – to rip off the gullible well-meaning members of the public,
when their foundation makes no impact whatsoever on those living with
sickle-cell anemia. How does his Lordship react to this trend?
This is really unfortunate if such foundations for sickle
cell patients make no impact on the lives of those it is established to
serve. If this lack of impact is as a result of ineffectiveness on the
part of those concerned, I would beg that something be done immediately
so that the foundation serves those it is set up to serve. If however,
such foundations are set up with the fraudulent intention of ripping off
well-meaning members of the public, the act is despicable.
Recently, people living with sickle cell anemia have
decided to take the bull by the horn by going about more intensive
sensitization project, starting from Anambra State. How can the Church
partner with them in realizing this cause?
I am happy that those living with sickle cell anemia have
taken up their cause. They are indeed the best placed to champion it.
This neither disqualifies other people who are not facing this challenge
from championing the same cause nor should suspicion be raised that
advocates who are not sickle cell patients are out to feed fat on other
people’s difficulties. This is because none sickle cell patients might
have been motivated to champion the cause either because they lost
friends, relatives and loved ones to the complications of sickle cell
anemia and therefore decided to join the fight against this preventable
medical condition or because they are genuinely interested in the
eradication of this condition. I am making this clarification because
the Church is already committed to the cause of stopping sickle cell
anemia by addressing the root cause. A lot more can still be done to
sensitize our people. Indeed, the Church is ready and willing to partner
with any group to do this. To the glory of God, the return of schools
to their original owners by the administration of the erstwhile governor
of Anambra State, His Excellency, Chief, Sir Peter Obi, means that the
Church has the platform to carry out this advocacy. The schools can
serve as launching pad for such sensitization efforts. But before the
schools can be effectively used, a whole lot has to be done first – the
teachers have to be educated, teaching and learning materials have to be
provided, etc.
One of the prime suspects that runs Sickle Cell Foundation
Nigeria, has been contacted by a reporter and from his response it was
gathered that he neither has offices in the South-east, nor
representatives, yet he added the prefix ‘Nigeria’ to his foundation. It
was also gathered that he has collected some multiple millions from the
federal government and yet he has not impacted on the lives of sickle
cell patients. How would you react to this?
Well, I will not quarrel with him for adding the prefix
‘Nigeria’ to his Foundation even if it has nothing on ground in the
South-east. I am more interested in what he is spending the millions he
has received on and on whether the failure of the Foundation to impact
on the lives of sickle cell patients is due to poor management or
embezzlement of funds. If he has spent commensurate sum of money on
anything related to the fight against sickle cell anemia, even if not in
the South-east, I will congratulate him while drawing his attention to
the South-east as also needful of such efforts. But if he has mismanaged
the grants received or diverted it to other purposes, I can only say
that he is feeding fat on the misery of other people and should desist
from doing so and change his ways.