By David Okpala/Stella Okpala :
Akpo (Aguata LGA) June 23, 2020 (MOI) Ekwulobia Catholic Diocese has called on the faithful to help eradicate sickle cell anaemia.
The call has been targeted at the unmarried, who do not know their genotypes; ignorance of which can eventually lead to having children with sickle cell anemia.
The directive is contained in a communiqué read by Catechist, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Akpo, Mr. Aloysius Ebido during General Meeting of Catechists in the diocese on June 21, 2020.
According to the communiqué, those wishing to publish banns of marriage must come with letters from medical doctors in government approved hospitals saying genotype of the man and his intending wife.
“The letter shall certify that the couples if joined together shall not produce child or children with sickle cell anaemia.
“Sickle cell anaemia would be avoided if desperation, selfishness, ignorance and inability to adhere to wise counsels are taken away from marriage proposals.’’
The catechist advised intending couples not to believe the `love is blind’ notion.
“Love ought to see in this corollary because when you have children with sickle cell anaemia in your house, it will turn out to be an agent of hate.
“It has the tendency of making Christians not to achieve everlasting glory. This happens when your children start falling sick often and dying.
“You may be forced to seek solutions from powers of this earth, especially when they tell you that it is `Ogbanje’, reincarnation or incarnation matters and other spiritual societies.
“You may be tempted to give attention to all these things thereby losing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Do proper marriage tests at government approved hospitals before making your marriage proposals to avoid broken hearts,’’ he advised. (MOI)
AMN/NJN/3C/TON
