Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha H. Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called for the integration of Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centres into Teaching Hospitals across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The lawmaker made the call on Tuesday during the Senate’s consideration of a bill sponsored by Senator Katung Sunday Marshall, which seeks to establish dedicated centres for research and treatment of sickle cell disorder in the country.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that rather than setting up the centres as stand-alone institutions, they should be embedded within existing university teaching hospitals to ensure efficiency, strengthen research capacity, and enhance the quality of healthcare delivery.
According to her, “This will help strengthen, broaden, and deepen research and therapy, especially given recent global innovations such as the use of stem cell therapy in treating sickle cell patients.”
She noted that linking the proposed centres to existing hospital frameworks would not only simplify the establishment process but also reduce the government’s financial burden.
“To ensure efficiency and avoid unnecessary financial entanglements, it is critical that these centres are established within university teaching hospitals in each geopolitical zone,” she added.
The Kogi Central Senator’s submission attracted commendations from her colleagues, who described her position as both pragmatic and economically wise. Her contribution underscored her continued advocacy for inclusive and sustainable healthcare reforms aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians living with chronic health conditions.
