By Praise Chinecherem
People Living With Sickle Cell Disorder have decried inhumane treatment metted on its members during the event tagged “A Day With The Elderly, Vulnerables, And People Living With Disabilities.”
The ceremony was part of an Inter-denominational service organized by state government to celebrate the elderly, vulnerable, and people living with disabilities, as well as the 75th birthday of Prince Engr. Arthur Eze.
National Coordinator, Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, Aisha Edward- Maduagwu, who described the treatment accorded her members at the function as embarrassing, demanded an unreserved apology from the organizers of the event.
Speaking to newsmen at Emmaus house Awka, the activist said she got the invitation same day of the event, but had to shelve other engagements to honour the event in view of the regards she had for both the governor and the celebrant.
She said, “I was called and invited to bring my group to the programme that same morning. For me, this is belittling and disrespectful due to the time frame.
“But the caller persisted, assuring me that the Governor (Prof. Chukwuma Soludo) will want to have an audience with all vulnerable groups, including persons living with sickle cell disorder.
“I had to forgo other engagements and made frantic efforts to gather some of my members to the venue.
“What shocked me the most was how I was embarrassed when called up to the rostrum to cut the cake alongside the celebrant and other dignitaries.
“A man I suspected to be an aide to the celebrant confronted me with these words, “What are you doing here?” “I am a sickle cell person representing sickle cell people as their national coordinator,” I responded.
“No no no, please go back, you look too clean to be a sickler, go and get the dirty ones,” he retorted.
“To our rude shock, how can they expect fellow citizens to look haggardly, dirty and unkempt, just because they have disability or medical challenges? That was the sort of treatment meted on other vulnerables as well.
“No tangible response or assistance could be gotten from any government aide present, as they absolutely absolved themselves from any blame, while pointing fingers at each other as the cause of the poor reception.”
According to Aisha, her attendance to the event was neither to eat nor drink, but to meet the governor on behalf of the sickle cell community in the State.
“I am not here for the food or bags of rice to be shared, but because the name of the governor was mentioned in the invitation and also the longstanding respect our sickle cell community have for Engr Arthur Eze.
“ I built a sickle cell specialist clinic at Ukpo the hometown of the celebrant, courtesy of Arthur Eze, a legacy in his honour for generations to come.
“More shocking tales of woes and disappointments from persons with disabilities trailed the event.
“Even a senoir official of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) was seen hailing a sachet water hawker that happened to pass by, after he complained that his throat was parched from long hours of staying under the sun without any refreshments for his group from the organizers.
“They further lamented on their frustrations and inability to return home because no provisions were made to pay for the buses that would conveyed them to and fro, according to the agreement they had with the organizers.”
