Staff of AT Ghana and the 37 Military Hospital in a pose with the dummy cheque
Telecommunications giant, AT formerly AirtelTigo, has donated an amount of GH¢20,000 to the 37 Military Hospital’s Pediatric Sickle Cell Unit, as the unit marked its 20th anniversary.
The donation is aimed at supporting the hospital’s initiatives in raising awareness, funding research, and improving care for patients battling the hereditary blood disorder.
AT Chief Executive Officer, Leo Skarlatos, said sickle cell disease affects millions of people globally, and in Ghana, it touches the lives of many families.
“At AT, we believe in leveraging our resources to make a lasting difference. Today, we are proud to support the unit to help in the fight against sickle cell disease,” he said.
Head of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Unit at 37 Military Hospital, Dr. Sheilla Asamoah Okyere, expressed her gratitude to AT saying, the donation will go a long way in enabling the unit to expand its reach and subsidise treatment costs for underprivileged families.
“We are also investing in public education to dispel myths about the disease and encourage testing,” she added.
In addition, the donation will also go a long way to help the unit to expand their genetic counseling programme, helping parents understand the importance of screening and early diagnosis, supporting ongoing research, and expanding community outreach programmes.
A touching moment during the ceremony was when a young patient named Amina was invited to speak.
She thanked AT Ghana and the hospital staff for their unwavering support. Her mother, standing beside her, wiped away tears as she spoke about the challenges they had faced and the hope they now felt for a better future.
AT Ghana made a pledge to continue their support for sickle cell initiatives, not just through monetary donations but by using their communication platforms to spread awareness about the disease.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak