Ghana urged to integrate universal sickle cell screening into primary healthcare

Ghana has been urged by an expert to establish a nationwide newborn screening program for sickle cell disease (SCD) to build upon the nation's 30 years of progress in early detection and treatment. Professor Isaac Odame, from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, and the Global Sickle Cell Disease Network, made the recommendation during a lecture at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

The lecture celebrated the late Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong's contributions to sickle cell disease care and research. Odame pointed out that Ghana has shown the feasibility and benefits of early screening but highlighted the need to transition from donor-funded projects to a sustainable, government-funded program. He suggested that screening could be integrated into existing primary healthcare services, such as immunization and child welfare clinics, using modern point-of-care screening technologies.

Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates, as it allows for timely interventions like counselling, vaccination, prophylaxis, and hydroxyurea treatment. Odame emphasized that screening should be followed by a reliable care and treatment system. Ghana is already piloting such projects at the Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital and Maamobi General Hospital, which could serve as models for nationwide implementation.

The expert believes that by integrating sustainable sickle cell disease screening and care into Ghana's Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, the country can move toward a coordinated national program that ensures every child with the condition is identified early and receives necessary care.