FoSCel founder urges curriculum reform to strengthen sickle cell education in Ghana

Amos Andoh, the Founder of the Focus on Sickle Cell Foundation (FoSCel), has called for a major overhaul of Ghana's school curriculum to include comprehensive sickle cell education. Speaking at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park on September 29, Mr. Andoh stressed that sickle cell disease should not only be treated as a medical issue but also addressed as a national health, educational and generational concern.

He urged for the integration of age-appropriate sickle cell education into the Ghanaian school curriculum, beginning from Junior High School (JHS) to Senior High School (SHS). This move, according to him, would equip young people with accurate knowledge about the condition, enabling informed decisions regarding their health and future relationships.

Ghana currently records between 15,000 to 18,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually, with the Ministry of Health having developed a national strategy and screening guidelines to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and care. However, Mr. Andoh emphasized that healthcare alone is not enough. It needs to be complemented by accurate and early education to challenge misinformation, stigma, and misconceptions surrounding the condition.

FoSCel has already developed an educational comic model, piloted in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service in the Efutu area, and submitted a policy proposal for sickle cell education to be included in the nation's education system. The Foundation is engaging relevant stakeholders, including the National AIDS/STI Control Programme and parliamentary stakeholders, to push for the initiative.

Mr. Andoh argued that introducing information about genotype compatibility and inheritance before young adults get into relationships or plan for marriage would be more beneficial, as the emotional considerations could otherwise hinder the effective implementation of such knowledge. He also acknowledged the efforts of the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and NHIA in improving healthcare access for people living with sickle cell disease but stressed that treatment alone cannot address all the challenges faced by patients and their families.