RSUTH: We’re Committed to Quality Life for People with Sickle Cell
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Management of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), has said that the hospital is committed to ensuring that patients living with Sickle Cell get the best of treatment in the facility.
Chief Medical Director of RSUTH, Prof. Chizindu Alikor, gave the assurance while speaking at a lecture to mark the 2025 World Sickle Cell Day in the hospital, Port Harcourt.
Alikor, stated that no patient in the hospital should be left to die on account of financial implication for care, adding that all patients must be given equal and maximum care and support.
He said that as a hospital, they are committed to improving the quality of life of patients, especially those living with sickle cell diseases.
The CMD commended the team of pediatrics of the hospital and all those involved in treatment of persons living with sickle cell diseases, assuring of the management’s commitment to excellence in caregiving.
He said, “As a hospital, we are committed to excellence, we are committed to full care for all our patients and in this context, for all our patients living with sickle cell disease. We have made a commitment that all our sickle cell disease patients must have speedy care and a fast recovery pathway.
“We have also made a commitment that on no account should such a patient die because of finance.”
Speaking on the topic: ‘Pain Management in Sickle Cell Disease’, Alikor explained that pain management is a critical component of care for people living with sickle cell disease, hence it was apt to discuss how to manage it.
Also speaking, Head, Department of Pediatrics and Hematology, Dr. Josiah Appolos, at the hospital noted that the financial implication of managing patients with sickle cell is enormous, calling on the government and relevant agencies to support so that the hospital can provide effective care for the patients.
“Most importantly, the financial implication of sickle cell is so enormous that the regular patient cannot afford it, so it means that government has to step in to provide the funding to help us provide free care if possible to these patients,” he added.
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