30/06/2025
THE OGBANJE
A long time ago in the world of humans, there were people believed to be ogbanje (in Igbo) and Abiku (in Yoruba). Although this belief still exists, it has reduced to a considerable extent but there's still more work to do especially in Africa.
These ogbanje children were children who by characterisation when born, go through a series of sicknesses, and then they die. After death, it was believed that these children kept coming and dying Because they wanted to frustrate their parents or family.
In a bid to stop the child from dying, the child is either thrown into an evil forest to go and die forever and never return, or, traditional ways like creating marks on their faces and bodies using sharp objects were used. They believed if this child suffered the torture of sharp objects or went through the horror of dying in an evil forest, the child would learn his/her lessons and would never come back again.
Years later, when development began and medical practices began to expand, it was discovered that these children called ogbanjes or abiku were (a majority of them) actually sickle cell patients. Hmm…
The first clear description of sickle cell disease was in 1910 by Dr. James B Herrick, an American physician, who noticed an elongated and sickle-shaped red blood cell in one of his dental students.
Now, what is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited (gotten from one's parents) red blood cells disorder, or disorder of hemoglobin. This is the simplest definition I can give.
So, what's hemoglobin (Hb)?
Hemoglobin in a layman's language is a part of the red blood cells that helps to carry oxygen around the body.
There are different types of hemoglobin:
Hemoglobin F (HbF): this is fetal hemoglobin and found majorly in newborns.
Hemoglobin A (HbA): adult hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin S (HbSS) which is abnormal and dominant in sickle cell patients. And so many other hemoglobin types.
(At this point, you need to take a break and breathe. I hope I'm not confusing you already. Trust me, I'm trying my best to keep this as simple and as short as possible.) Well, let's continue…
Now, this hemoglobin S has been revealed to be a result of genetic mutation in order to resist malaria attack especially in regions like Africa where malaria is more dominant. Simply put, the body was trying to look for a way to prevent frequent malaria from these little creatures called mosquitoes and in a bid to do that… boom! There was a change in the genetic sequence/arrangement in the hemoglobin, leading to the S hemoglobin. (This is why sickle cell is more common in our region.)
If you have a sickle cell patient close, maybe a friend or siblings, you'll notice they don't have malaria frequently. Like, they barely do, but if they have it, it can be a problem. But the AAs are very prone to severe malaria. So, should we call this a benefit of sickle cell anaemia?
Because of this change in hemoglobin, what then happens?
The shape of the red blood cells changes too. The normal red blood cells are circular/oval in shape, but the mutation in a sickled cell makes the red blood cells become sickled in shape. (See first slide).
The blood cells are not just sickled but also sticky. So because of this sickled shape and sticky nature, they find it difficult to pass through the blood vessels and stick at one place thereby preventing the flow of blood. (See second slide.)
When this happens, it then leads to crisis — the severe pains these patients go through. 🥲 The pain is really a terrible one to even start with.
Also, normal red blood cells die after 90-100 days, but a sickled red blood cells die after 10 days. This sudden death of red blood cells is the reason why these patients are always anaemic (have low levels of blood and oxygen).
Normal PCV (blood level) in a healthy human is from 35-48.6%, but a sickle cell patient has PCV of about 15-25% so they are always in need of blood. This should motivate you to donate blood to the facility closest to you when necessary. You might be saving a warrior's life. 🥹
One thing that can help them is routine drugs which they take every day, enough water and a balanced diet. If you have any warriors around you, please, help them to drink water, take their drugs and eat healthy always. They can be stubborn and repulsive at doing these things.
But, can these patients live and survive? Yes! Yes! And Yes!
There are warriors who have lived up to their 90s.
They can live their lives happily and to the fullest."
Written by scientist Omire Oluomachi
