The Yobe State House of Assembly has approved the report of its ad-hoc committee on a bill aimed at repealing and re-enacting the anti-stigmatization law to make premarital testing for hemoglobin genotype and viral hepatitis mandatory across the state.
The report was adopted following thorough deliberations by lawmakers on the committee’s recommendations.Chairman of the committee, Hon. Kachalla Maina, explained that the proposed law is designed to curb the spread of sickle cell disease and hepatitis among intending couples.
Citing data, he noted that Nigeria has over 40 million people living with sickle cell disease, with Yobe State reportedly having the highest number of affected individuals — a situation he described as needing urgent legislative intervention.
The bill recommends a two-year jail term or a fine of ₦200,000 for any imam or pastor who officiates a wedding without verifying the genotype test result from a certified health facility. It also prescribes a three-year sentence or a ₦500,000 fine for any health practitioner found to have collaborated in producing fake test results.
Additionally, the bill urges the executive arm of government to instruct the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to introduce the teaching of sickle cell disease in schools and ensure that genotype information is included on primary school leaving certificates.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Chiroma Buba Mashio praised the committee for presenting a detailed and impactful report, saying it would go a long way in reducing the prevalence of sickle cell and hepatitis in the state.
