7 facts about sickle cell

The Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, an organization which among other things, manages the National Newborn Screening Programme for Sickle Cell Disease for the Ministry of Health (MOH) has enumerated seven facts about sickle cell.

In a release, the outfit said: “More than 15,000 babies are born with SCD every year in Ghana; 50-90% of them die before age 5 years, most of them never diagnosed and never treated for SCD. In all of Africa, more than 350,000 babies are born with SCD each year.”

“Common complications of SCD include frequent attacks of sickle cell pain, acute severe anaemia, overwhelming bacteria, malaria, or other infections, stroke (especially in young children), acute lung damage, and many others. With age many organs suffer chronic damage” it added.

Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana has urged affected persons to seek medical attention.

“The story of SCD does not have to be this bad. With modern treatment, many children with SCD can survive early childhood and grow to become independent adults,” it said.

Below is the full statement