Foundation offers free genotype test to 100 persons in Ibadan

No fewer than 100 residents of Ibadan on Thursday benefitted from the free genotype test conducted by Showtyme Foundation, a subsidiary of Showtyme Hoopers Basketball Club.

READ ALSO:Genetic Counselling, Genotype screening key to preventing sickle cell – Experts

The event aimed to inform the residents of the importance of double-checking their genotype status.

The founder of the foundation, Shoola Durojaiye, said many people had been wrongly diagnosed, leading to untold future hardship. According to him, he was a victim.

Durojaiye said he did his genotype test, and the result came out as AA, whereas he was AS.

“I went ahead and married my ex-wife, who is AS, and our first child was SS, while the other two girls are AS.

“I lost my 12-year-old daughter, Demilade Shoola, last month due to the sickle cell anaemia crisis. It was a difficult one for me. As a family, we’ve gone through a lot due to the error of the result. I don’t want anyone to experience what I went through.

“Everyone should know their status, make informed choices and protect future generations,” he said.

He said his experience prompted him to use the game of basketball, which he said was a great medium and platform to get across to the youths and the community at large.

A basketball referee, Samson Mogida, called for more supervision of medical laboratories in the country for optimal operations.

He also revealed his experience of wrong diagnosis putting families into avoidable problems.

“Many families like mine are in serious pain. Before I got married, I did my genotype to know my status and the result was AA.

“While growing up, I stumbled on the result of the laboratory test my parents conducted on me and the result was also AA.

“I had the confidence that I could marry anyone of any genotype since I was AA. But after I got married, God blessed us with a son who was constantly falling sick,” he said.

Mogida said he visited a reputable laboratory in Ibadan to run another genotype test, only to be given a contrary result of AS.

“I was so angry and called them all names that they didn’t know what they were doing.

“They encouraged me to go to UCH and carry out another test, which I did, including four other laboratories to carry out the test, and they all came out AS.

“It is so painful and devastating to accept that I am AS and not AA.

“I went to do the test because my son was said to be SS, and my wife confirmed to be AS,” he said.

Mogida said managing the situation had not been easy, adding that a single mother or father could not manage such a child alone.

Meanwhile, Dr Babatunde Falade of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, described sickle cell as a common health condition in the country and one of the few preventable conditions.

He said patients lack enough red blood cells.

“The cells die early compared to other cells, which causes a reduction in oxygen delivery to other vital organs.

“This is because of the deficiency or abnormal protein surrounding the red blood cells. The normal red blood cell should be round or oval, but the one with sickle cell is s-shaped,” he said.

The doctor said that patients usually have low immunity and a low blood level.

“They get tired easily, jaundiced as they undergo constant breakdown of the cells,” he said.

Falade called for constant checks in reputable laboratories to make informed decisions before having children.

“The various genotypes are AA, AS, SS, SC, and AC. Everyone should avoid a combination that will result in SS,” he said.

NAN/Wumi