NGO organises sickle cell disease screening for Awutu Winton students, teachers
The International Sickle Cell Centre (ISCC), a non-profit organisation in the country has screened about 200 first-year students and teachers of the Winton Senior High School at Awutu Beraku in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region for various ailments.
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The screening included checking of vitals, sickle cell genotype, tests for malaria, hepatitis B, urinary tract infection and pregnancy test.
The ISCC, through the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) also offered leadership training through lectures and focus group discussions to educate the students on the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
Choices for the future
Known as the "Choices for the Future" programme, the annual health screening and training was sponsored by the Education Development Projects-Trust (EDP-Trust), with support from the Department of Haematology of the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) and the Awutu Health Centre.
It was aimed at raising awareness of SCD, breaking the stigma surrounding the condition, as well as empowering students with essential knowledge of health and leadership skills.
Earlier, research was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the students concerning SCD.
A Sickle Cell Disease Carrier, Benjamin Tetteh Shadrack, also shared his story to enhance the knowledge of the students and break the stigma surrounding the condition.
He told the students that SCD was not a death sentence and said the early screening would help them to identify their colleagues with the disease so they could support them and treat them well.
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He, therefore, advised students to take advantage of this screening exercise saying it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Awareness creation
The Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ISCC, Dr Mary Ansong, stressed the importance of creating more awareness of SCD in schools and said research conducted in the school revealed the low level of awareness of the disease among students.
She took the opportunity to explain the impact of the SCD on lives and the difficulties it brought and urged the students to be change-makers by sharing the knowledge they had acquired with friends to impact the lives of others.
Dr Ansong also advised students, especially females, to focus on their studies to avoid complications that might arise from teenage pregnancy and SCD.
She also took time to explain the meaning of genotype and its implications for those who were diagnosed with SCD or abnormal haemoglobin.
A Pharmacist, Martha Wiafe, said the ISCC was keen on advancing Sustainable Development Goal Three (SDG3), to promote good health among students.
She said as students and young people, they must acquire knowledge on diseases such as SCD among others to make informed reproductive decisions.
That, she said, was to protect their future and prevent the impact of the SCD on the lives and families of students.
Ms Wiafe also called on all to join in the fight against the SCD and other health conditions which she said stole the future of the youth.
