Wa, July 23, GNA – A Sickle Cell Clinic and Counselling Unit has been opened in Wa, the Upper West Regional Hospital, through the initiative of the Sickle Cell Advocacy Project.

The facility which is the third to be opened in Northern Ghana was collaboratively carried out by the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and the Sickle Cell Condition Advocates (SICCA).

It would provide counselling services and manage the condition of sickle cell patients to enable them live longer.

Giving the history behind the disease, Dr. Alexis Nang-beifubah, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, said the disease which was also known as sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disorder, was discovered 101 years ago by one Dr. James Harrick, a Physician from Chicago, United States.

He said it all happened when a twenty-year-old black male student from West Indies reported to the hospital and complained of pain, shortness of breath, palpitation and yellow eyes.

Dr. Harrick then took a sample of his blood to the laboratory and after investigation, he noted that the student had peculiar shaped red blood cell, thus bringing the disease out to the scientific community.

He said until then, the disease had been the cause of mortality in most cases where it was found.

Dr. Alexis said research had shown that the only way the sickle cell disease could be cured was through bone marrow transplant which was so complicated that it was only done in developed countries when patients were in a very critical condition.

He stated that advances in understanding the disease had led to significantly improved treatment and outcomes for affected individuals.

The Regional Health Director therefore commended those behind the clinics stating that people in the three Northern Regions could now have access to modern management of the disease.

He said education and counselling helped affected persons to positively take control of their care and lauded the idea of adding counselling units to the clinics.

Madam Charlotte Owusu, Founder of SICCA, said the sickle cell project also aimed at educating the public on the disease so that they could make informed choices when choosing their life partners.

She said she and her team spent one month each in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions training health personnel, volunteers, students and faith groups through radio and blood donation and screening exercises.

Madam Owusu said flyers, information leaflets, posters and bill boards containing information about the disease had been distributed to the public in all the three regions to help spread the message.

Mr. Cezar Kale, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, who pledged the government’s commitment to improve on the health sector advised young people to know their status before going into marriage.

He said one of the cardinal preoccupations of the clinic should be to help the unmarried people to make informed choices.