By ZUBAIRU IDRIS

An NGO, Al-Mu’asharah Marriage and Counseling Foundation (AMGCF), has advocated the introduction of genotype and four other tests for intending couples to enhance healthcare of people in the society.

The Chairman of the foundation, Imam Nura Abubakar-Assalafy, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Katsina.

He listed the four other tests to include hepatitis, mental health, pregnancy and drugs.

Abubakar-Assalafy added introduction of HIV/AIDS test before marriage has helped greatly in reducing the number of people infected by their marriage partners.

The chairman, therefore, urged lawmakers to enact laws that would mandate would-be couples to conduct those tests before the marriage union.

Abubakar-Assalafy said, “We know how children living with sickle cell anemia are suffering, their parents also suffer in terms of shouldering medical care for such children.

“This disease has no cure because it is genetically transmitted, the only cure is to avoid marriage between the two diagnosed sickle cell anemia persons or carrier partners.”

He also said that hepatitis, another deadly disease, could equally be transmitted through closed contact with an infected person, hence the need to enforce diagnosis before marriage, to reduce the rate of the disease.

On a mental health test, Abubakar-Assalafy said that though some people might appear neat, they could be having a form of mental illness which could only be identified through a test.

“If one of the couples is having such a problem, there is the tendency of having problems in that family, that might lead to some forms of cheating without knowing the real cause of the problem,” he said.

The chairman also said that a pregnancy test is very important before marriage, to avoid marrying a woman with pregnancy at an early stage.

On drug test, Abubakar-Assalafy called on the lawmakers to enact laws that would compel intending couples to go to the NDLEA for drug test, explaining that would assist to reduce the rate of drug abuse in the society.

The chairman also said that the foundation organises seminars on marital affairs for couples, reconciles them in case of misunderstanding and links males and females in marriage.

Abubakar-Assalafy identified ignorance and selfish interests as the major factors responsible for divorce.

He, therefore, urged couples to live in peace by respecting each other, searching for marriage knowledge, talking to one another in good manners, keeping themselves clean and being pious. (NAN)

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