THE GHANA Institute of Clinical Genetics (Sickle Cell Clinic) has called for an end to what it termed the stigmatisation of persons living with sickle cell.
The Institute made the call on Saturday, June 22, 2019, as it organised a health walk in Accra to create awareness about the sickle cell disease.
Several doctors, patients and ambassadors of sickle cell embarked on the health walk which commenced at the Sickle Cell Clinic at Korle Bu around 8:00am through principal streets of Korle Gonnon.
The walk formed part of the 2019 edition of the World Sickle Cell Day celebration.
Annually, about 15,000 babies are born with sickle cell in Ghana.
And per the African region estimate, about 50-90 percent of them die before reaching the age of five.
The survival rate is high in the urban areas but the rural settlements record high mortality rates, according to Prof. Kwaku Ohene Frimpong, President of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, who spoke to DGN Online earlier.
Medical Officer at the Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics, Dr. Ivy-Marie Aggrey, told DGN Online in an interview on the sidelines of the walk that about two percent of people living in Ghana are sickle cell patients.
She cautioned against stigmatising sickle cell patients.
According to her, it was no fault of theirs that they are suffering from the disease.
She revealed that persons born with sickle cell disease were living much longer in Ghana now than ever before due to early check up and new treatment methods and medications.
BY Melvin Tarlue