The bill, sponsored by the member representing Anaocha II state constituency, Charles Ezeani and 15 others, seeks to eradicate sickle cell disease in the state by checkmating marriages among people with incompatible genotypes.
The law to be cited as Sickle Cell Disease Control and Eradication Repeal law, barred parents, guardians, traditional rulers or group of persons from giving out their children/wards in marriages without presentation of a certificate of verification by a qualified sickle cell expert of their genotypes.
It also provided that no religious body or marriage registry shall perform Holy Matrimony without first demanding and obtaining sickle cell disease prevention certificate from intending couples.
The law stated, “Anybody who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N200,000 or imprisonment to a term of three years or both.”
The law when it becomes effective shall also put in place a monitoring committee to ensure compliance.
Speaking, the co-sponsor of the bill, Charles Ezeani, described the law as life-saving.
He said, “The development would put a stop to the notion that love is blind by ensuring that intending couples must present their genotype test before marriage.”
Ezeani commended the Speaker of the Assembly, Mrs Rita Maduagwu and other members of the Assembly for being the first to pass such health enhancement bill into law in the country.
The National Coordinator of People Living with Sickle Cell Disease, APLSCD, Aisha Edwards, who was also at the assembly, thanked the lawmakers for enacting the law.
She said the law above other things bars all forms of discriminatory practices against carriers of the disease, both in employment and admission into schools
from dailypost.
*What do they mean by people with incompatible genotypes?Docs in the house please explain.
Good.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree with this.. people with sickle cell should be able to get married and live a full life if they do choose.. it is a basic human right. What the government can say is advise them not to try for children but adopt children if they so wish. The government can also provide free treatment aimed at stopping pregnancies. That way their health is not further strained by child bearing. It’s not fair at all to stigmatise sickle cell patients. What a terrible leadership they have in an Anambra state. I am not an SS carrier but know a few lovely SS carriers.. they are as human as all of us
DeleteSo now they are actively and openly discriminating against SS patients. So sad. If this is not stopped, they will soon pass a law to stop people from outside anambra marrying their children.
DeleteWhat a ridiculous and backward law. I bet if they had their way they would actively get rid of sick people to in their words... eradicate them sad sad sad
So Mr Charles of a whole Anambra state does not have any dokita friend that can advice him on IVF+PGD ?!
DeleteOver 10 years solution, you can choose the genotype you implant and the state can sponsor it at a fraction of the actual cost for die hard lovers instead of passing a draconian law in a democratic dispensation. I have an idea of where he's coming from though, the children bearing the pains of SCD have no compensation for their parent's headiness or ignorance. Still" Ori bibe ko logun ori fifo."
nice, for those who can't afford ivf... very good development, many have died because of selfish choices
DeleteDon't get it wrong, they are banning marriages between SS carriers, meaning SS & SS cannot marry each other
DeleteThey should also ban AA and AA from marring each other because that is also a waste of genotype. Since they can't mind their business again
ReplyDeleteMind their business, do u know what people living with Sickle cells are going tro, do u know the pains and cries, since people cannot control their emotions and do what is right that is why u ve the law do it for them.
Delete🤣🤣
DeleteI think it means As and As shouldn’t be married.
ReplyDeleteincompatible genotypes.eg AS and SS
ReplyDeleteOr AS + AS
DeleteA couple, both AS got married in Port Harcourt with hopes of using an egg donor
They approached a BIG hospital around Stadium road for Egg donor/IVF
This hospital was meant to get an AA egg donor but they "mistakenly" used the egg of an AS donor
IVF was SUCCESSFUL, triplets were born but they all came out SS!
How? Why? When? The couple kept asking the hospital but there was no tangible explanation
After so much pressure + threat to go to the media, hospital finally admitted to their MISTAKE, and promised to get them an AA egg donor + free IVF, antenatal and delivery of a new set of triplets. Hmm
But the big question is, what happens to the first set of triplets who are all SS? Who will pay their hospital bills and tend to them during times of crisis?
Chai! Really pathetic..
DeleteOMG....This story is heart breaking. One SS child can make you live almost in the hospital talk more of three...wow.
DeleteI lost a best friend Nne...she was a SS. Almost 18 years after. I still remember her
So a lady or man that is a sickle cell disease patient SS,
ReplyDeletecannot marry because, he/she will invariably produce a carrier
AS even if he/she married an AA.
This is sickening, discriminatory and insensitive. Nobody wakes up
and wants to be a sickle cell patient or carrier. Why didn't they
pass a law to give free medical care to SS patients in their health
facilities?
Selfish looters!
🤢🤢🤢
Nobody said AS or SS carriers cannot get married...rather, u present a certificate that shows both of u are not carriers cos that is when an SS will be had.
DeleteLeft to me, this doesn't even need to be passed into law for us to start adhering to it, why would u be SS or AS and go on to marry anyone that is AA...that is pure suicide mission.
My parents are AA so the 4 of us my mum had are all AA. I never bothered myself cos I was sure of myself but it didn't stop me from talking to friends and relations when they want to marry to check well especially if they are not AA.
My hubby is AS and I'm AA, once my baby clocks 1 I will take her to lab to get her genotype and look group, if she happens to not be AA, I will start early enough to teach her about the dangers of having a non AA spouse.
It's high time we stopped seeing this move as being discriminatory rather life saving. I have never been close or known anyone with Sickle cell disease but I have read a lot about it( especially here in SDK) to know that it's best avoided than treated.
Good one ndi Anambra, I hope other state assemblies copy this and not busy looking for how to get life time pension.
Calm down madam!
DeleteThis law will only prevent
AS from marrying SS, AC, or AS
SS from marrying SS, AC, AS
Mhiz A, I must say that I am loving your comments in this blog, especially this! Keep it up.
DeleteI believe they should make it mandatory for intending couples to know their genotype. Anything more than that is just being nosy.
ReplyDeleteI know two AS people who recently got married and they already have the plans and the funds, to use medical means to avoid having an SS child. If you have the money, being the carrier of the sickle cell gene is not the end of the world.
This law is discriminatory. i understand that they are trying to prevent more sickle cell children, but they are going too far.
It's not their fault, na love we go blame... The one wey b carrier will b due soon and she has been sharing pictures of white mother and a female baby, may be na girl she won born... But I pray the baby genotype should b AA or As Amin
DeleteRubbish bill or law. Science just too advance for this myopic restrictions.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of stupid law is this? Is this the sensitization programs they should embark on? We have secondary schools, universities, churches, town Hall meetings etc. A 3 year sensitization program will put a lot of people right and give them the right information to be able to make better decisions. This is downright annoying. Let them be! They have it difficult enough and there are options now (I'm not encouraging unions between ss and ss) but this is the worst way possible to go about it
ReplyDeleteIf that be the case, hepatitis oh, HIV+ oh, tuberculosis oh, in fact if your medical report is not snow white no marriage since we all want to be mad.
This is discrimination. the government has no right in dictating to his citizen who to marry. The government can advise not dictate
ReplyDeleteWhy would two grown adults with an AS genotype decide to get married if it's not pure wickedness. Is there stupid love greater than the suffering dey will put a child thru? Do you know how much the child will suffer when the crisis start?. If two grown adults can't take responsible decision then the government should do that on their behalf
DeleteThis is a welcomed development if only the federal government can adopt it. The pains of an ss child ain't worth any love match. As far as I am concerned it is pure wickedness to have a child knowing the pains and crisis they would go through all for the sake of love. No matter how hard it is walk away from any partner carrying the sickle cell genes if u are too.
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...my 30the birthday is tomorrow and im a sickle cell patient.hmm all i know is DAT im grateful 4 Gods love
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday in advance. Thank God for your life.
DeleteI k ow reading this will make you sad. But I don't think they intend on discriminating against SS carriers.
It is so sad that in 2019 a Government will be setting laws to infringe on fundamental human rights, it is bad enough that there is no affordable health care- not as if the Government has been bearing the cost of previous sickle cell cases or has been swamped by requests to pay for weddings of Sickle cell carrying humans. It is totally wrong and an infringement on the human freedom of choice. Yes it is a risk but that is the choice the couple takes alone. IT IS THEIR CHOICE. There are bigger fish to fry in the state, no good road, poor health care, schools, THE LEADERS and CORRUPTION. When they want to embezzle they quickly come up with distraction tactics- watch out some billions will soon be swallowed by a cow or better yet make a zebra fall pregnant
ReplyDeleteThat is stupid and discriminatory.
ReplyDeleteIt won't stand because it is against the constitutional rights of every Nigerian and that supersedes any state law
ReplyDeleteBest law coming out of Anambra, anybody criticising this is an illiterate,foolish and ill informed. It's crime against humanity for incompatible partners to get married. How will u knowingly get married knowing fully well what the result will be. You'll give birth to a child who will suffer bcos of your selfishnes. In western countries SS and AS have been wiped bcos of strong measures like this. Even the Catholic Church is against AS/SS and AS/SS. Well done the Anambra
ReplyDelete