Children with sickle cell on admission at the Korle bu Teaching Hospital can now heave a sigh of relief after their wards were refurbished and handed over to them.
The Unit which was in a dilapidated state and had leaking roofs was adopted by the Jackie Appiah foundation and rehabilitated to make it habitable and child friendly.
Actress Jackie Appiah who heads the Foundation said she was moved to help after she lost a friend to sickle cell last year.
She called on her colleague celebrities and Organisations to support the Unit.
According to the Head of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Clinic at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Catherine Segbefia, Sickle Cell cases have been projected to see a thirty percent increase if more attention is not given to the disease.
The genetic condition which causes recurring pain episodes to Patients can lead to death if treatment is delayed in babies.
Every year, between 300 thousand and 400 thousand children worldwide are born with sickle cells with 75 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to WHO, 50 to 90 percent of children with the disease die before the age of 5 if they do not receive treatment.
However, 70 percent of these deaths are preventable with simple, cost-effective interventions such as early detection through newborn screening and the subsequent provision of comprehensive care.
Currently 15 thousand children in Ghana, are born with the condition every year and the number is expected to increase to 20 thousand by 2050.
Dr Segbefia said lack of infrastructure is a challenge adding that studies have shown that cases will increase significantly despite intensive education for partners to know their genotype before marriage.
She called for education, early treatment and provision of equipment to improve health delivery to patients.
Dr Segbefia also asked other individuals and Organisations to emulate the gesture by Jackie Appiah.
The actress also donated water, drinks, toys, cakes, sanitizers and other confectionary to children on admission at the Child Health Department.
STORY BY: DOREEN AMPOFO
