HEALTH

Sickle Cell Disease: Know Your Status, Advocacy Group Urges

CEO of Elorm Phanarosis Foundation, Mr. Bright Elorm Kugblenu is advising Ghanaians to check their sickling status before marriage to potential marriage partners to ensure that they do not give birth to a sickle cell patient.

Mr. Kugblenu, Founder of the Elorm Phanarosis Foundation told host Celestina Ghalley during the ‘Health Matters’ show that knowing one’s genes or status would help in making an informed decision on whom to make babies with.

“Parents must make it a point to check their children’s status, especially just after giving birth,” he said. Ghana once again joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2018 world sickle cell day – June 19 – as designated by the United Nations to draw attention and create necessary awareness to the problems posed by sickle cell disorder.

It was under the theme “SCD: Walk for Hope.”

19 June has been chosen to celebrate the World Sickle Cell Day as established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008 in order to increase the awareness about the sickle cell disease and its cure among the common public.

Mr. Kugblenu who described sickle cell as an ‘incurable disease’ thus encouraged the general public and potential couples to know their status ahead of any decision to bear children together.

“There is no cure for the disease and thus we must always know and check our status to prevent giving birth to sickle cell children,” he cautioned.

Sickle Cell Status Check

Mr. Kugblenu and the Foundation had earlier on Saturday organised a sickle cell status check for the public.

The exercise, which was held in Somanya towards the celebration of “World Sickle Cell Day”, was to create awareness on sickle cell and the importance of blood in the management of sickle cell diseases.

Mr. Kugblenu noted that the exercise provided opportunities for the participants to know their sickle cell status and counselling in order to make the right choices in life.

Statistics show that one in every four Ghanaians have sickle cell traits, which gives them the ability to pass it on to their children.

Every year two per cent of children born in Ghana constituting 15,000 have sickle cell diseases.

Source: ritefmonline.org

 

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
Close