By Diana Adjei
The Ministry of Health has launched the National Sickle Cell Disease Screening and Case Management Guidelines, a major step aimed at strengthening the prevention, early detection and management of sickle cell disease in Ghana.
The launch took place in Accra on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The guidelines provided a coordinated national framework to improve sickle cell care by strengthening healthcare services, public education, research, and prevention, with the goal of reducing the disease’s burden.
Speaking at the launch , the deputy Health Minister Prof.Grace Ayensu-Danquah noted that sickle cell disease affects about two percent of all newborns, translating to approximately 18,000 children each year. She added that, many of the cases, are often diagnosed late after painful crises leading to preventable complications and deaths.
Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah also explained that, the Guidelines developed under the Non-Communicable Disease Policy and Strategy (2022) and the Sickle Cell Disease Strategy (2024–2028), provide a standardised, evidence-based approach to screening, diagnosis, treatment, referral and long-term follow-up across all levels of healthcare delivery.
She lauded the health experts and partners involved and urged all stakeholders to work together to ensure the guidelines are effectively implemented.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder passed from parents to children. It affects the red blood cells, causing them to become hard and shaped like a sickle instead of being round. These abnormal cells block blood flow, leading to pain, infections, anemia, and damage to organs.
The condition is common in Africa, including Ghana, and usually starts in early childhood. There is no complete cure, but early diagnosis, proper medical care, and public education can help people with sickle cell live longer and healthier lives.
