The Provost, College of Medicine,
University of Lagos, Prof. Afolabi Lesi, has said that about 700,000
Nigerians are living with cerebral palsy while more than 3.5 million
people are directly affected by it.
He added that preventing the causes of
cerebral palsy was the best way of managing the condition and its harsh
effect on family finances.
He said that preventing jaundice,
difficulty in establishing breathing in babies after birth, low blood
sugar and other infections in infants could reduce the incidence of
cerebral palsy.
Lesi said this on Tuesday while
delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Cerebral Palsy Symposium
organised by Benola, a non-governmental organisation, with the theme,
‘Disability management in a depressed economy: Cerebral palsy as a case
study’, in Lagos.
According to him, cerebral palsy, which
is a group of disorders that affect the brain of an infant, arises from
complications that occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
He said, “It costs about N141,000 and
N891,000 for one person with the condition to access basic health care
in a public and private health facility annually. In a recession,
prevention presents a better outcome than rehabilitation. If we can
prevent children from having birth asphyxia, jaundice and other
infections, we can prevent the condition.
“High-risk pregnancies are better
managed in hospitals. I know that some women give birth at home, but if a
pregnancy is not naturally smooth, the risk of the baby having cerebral
palsy is there.’’
Lesi also urged government to enact a
policy that targets families and individuals living with
neuro-developmental challenges to augment their rehabilitation costs and
to save them from neglect.
In his address, the Chief Executive
Officer, Benola, Air Vice-Marshal Femi Gbadebo, said that people living
with cerebral palsy could surmount challenges associated with the
condition. He also called on government, philanthropists and corporate
organisations to support initiatives that advocate for people living
with developmental challenges.
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