Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has called for urgent and coordinated action to address the growing burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) in Ghana, stressing that equitable access to treatment and early diagnosis could save thousands of lives.
Delivering a statement in Parliament to mark World Sickle Cell Day 2026 under the theme, “Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease,” the legislator described SCD as a catastrophic genetic blood disorder that continues to kill, maim, and impoverish affected individuals and families.
Hon. Acquah painted a grim picture of the realities faced by sickle cell warriors, recounting stories of babies, infants, and children who succumb to severe anaemia, painful swelling of the hands and feet, stroke, and other life-threatening complications associated with the disease.
He lamented that despite increased awareness, many people living with sickle cell disease continue to suffer stigma and discrimination, often being judged and written off because of their condition.
According to the MP, about eight million Ghanaians are carriers of the sickle cell gene, with approximately two out of every 100 newborns diagnosed with the disease. He noted that the prevalence of the condition has become deeply embedded in Ghanaian society, with local names for the disease existing across different ethnic groups and languages.
Hon. Acquah observed that Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for nearly 80 per cent of global sickle cell cases and remains home to the most vulnerable population, particularly children under five years, among whom between 50 and 90 per cent of SCD-related deaths occur.
He said the global burden of the disease underscores the need for sustainable local, national, and international partnerships to strengthen health systems and improve access to early diagnosis and treatment.
The Akim Oda legislator stressed that although there are now effective interventions to diagnose and manage sickle cell disease, including safe blood transfusions and the use of Hydroxyurea (HU), access remains unequal, especially for patients in rural communities.
He mentioned Hydroxyurea as the most impactful intervention currently available, citing studies that demonstrate its effectiveness in reducing painful crises, hospital admissions, blood transfusions, and acute chest complications among sickle cell patients.
Hon. Acquah recalled that a public-private partnership between the Government of Ghana and Novartis in 2018 piloted Hydroxyurea therapy across 21 district, regional, and teaching hospitals under the Ahodwo Programme. He added that the medication was subsequently included under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2022.
However, he expressed concern that access to the treatment remains restricted to a limited number of NHIA-credentialed hospitals in only eight regions, creating significant barriers for patients living in rural and underserved communities.
The MP warned that the current urban centralisation of Hydroxyurea services imposes financial and logistical burdens on families, resulting in lost income for caregivers, reduced school attendance among children, and avoidable healthcare costs arising from recurrent hospitalisations and blood transfusions.
To bridge the equity gap in sickle cell care, Hon. Acquah proposed several policy measures, including the declassification of Hydroxyurea as a specialist medicine, decentralisation of its prescription to non-specialist healthcare providers, improved procurement systems, simplified national treatment guidelines, and the development of specialist consultation networks.
He also appealed to the public to show greater compassion and empathy towards persons living with sickle cell disease and their families, urging Ghanaians to eliminate derogatory and stigmatising language.
The legislator further called on healthcare providers and hospital administrators to implement government policies that guarantee full accessibility to Hydroxyurea under the NHIS benefit package.
“We have the tools, expertise, systems, and knowledge to achieve equity in sickle cell disease care across our country. The time is now,” he declared.