The Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) has diagnosed about 100 children with sickle cell disease in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.

The children, who are below five years old, were screened using a new device called Gazelle, which was launched last year to enable faster and easier diagnosis of the disease.

The NHRC has also introduced a new app called Vula, which allows health workers at the periphery to consult with doctors at the hospital online and get advice on how to manage and refer sickle cell patients.

The app, which was sponsored by South Africa through Novartis, is expected to reduce sickle cell related mortalities and improve access to care.

The Director of the NHRC, Dr Patrick Odum Ansah, told the media that the Centre had screened over 4,700 children so far and found that over 100 of them had sickle cell disease.

He said this was a significant number and that the Centre was concerned about their health and well-being.

He said the app would be implemented in ten selected health centres and CHPS compounds where the sickle cell project was being carried out.

He said the app would help health workers to diagnose and manage sickle cell patients more effectively and avoid unnecessary referrals.

He said the NHRC was committed to minimising the menace of sickle cell and the misconception about the disease in the area.

He also appealed to parents and guardians to take their children for screening and treatment as soon as possible.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects the red blood cells and causes them to become sickle-shaped.

This can lead to various complications such as anaemia, infections, pain crises, organ damage and stroke. The disease is common in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is prevalent.

The NHRC is one of the leading health research institutions in Ghana and has been conducting various studies on diseases such as malaria, meningitis, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

The Centre also collaborates with other national and international partners to improve health outcomes in the country.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects the red blood cells and causes them to become sickle-shaped. This can lead to various complications such as anaemia, infections, pain crises, organ damage and stroke. The disease is common in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is prevalent.

SCD is a significant public health burden in Ghana. Recent studies indicate that 2% of Ghanaian newborns are affected by SCD; one in three Ghanaians has the haemoglobin S and/or C gene. The disease is more prevalent in the northern regions of the country, where malaria transmission is high and health facilities are scarce.

The challenges in administering healthcare to sickle patients in Ghana include lack of awareness, stigma, discrimination, inadequate screening, diagnosis and treatment services, high cost of drugs and supplies, and poor referral systems. Many patients suffer from chronic pain, infections, organ damage and premature death.

The government of Ghana and its partners have been implementing various interventions to assist the process of managing and preventing SCD. These include:

The establishment of a national newborn screening programme for SCD in 2010, which covers all 10 regions of the country and aims to screen all newborns within 28 days of birth.

The introduction of a new device called Gazelle, which was launched in 2019, to enable faster and easier diagnosis of SCD in children below five years old.

The introduction of a new app called Vula, which was launched in 2021, to allow health workers at the periphery to consult with doctors at the hospital online and get advice on how to manage and refer sickle cell patients.

The provision of hydroxyurea, a drug that reduces the frequency and severity of pain crises and other complications of SCD, to patients at a subsidised cost through the national health insurance scheme.

The promotion of public education and awareness campaigns on SCD, its causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention.

These interventions have been yielding positive results in improving the quality of life and survival of sickle cell patients in Ghana, especially in the Upper East Region where the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) has been conducting various studies on SCD.

Source: The Independent Ghana