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By
Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey / Elizabeth Yaa Brobbey, RNG
Accra, March 27, GNA
– Ghana will intensify the use of hydroxyurea, a generic medicine for
treatment of sickle cell disease in all health facilities to reduce the risk of
the cost of his medication and the burden of treatment on patients and families.
This followed a
Five-year agreement protocol signed between Ghana and Novartis,
an international pharmaceutical company at the World Economic Forum in Davos
in January of this year to improve the diagnosis and treatment of people with
disease in Ghana
Currently, the first
5,600 doses have been introduced into the country and would be
distributed in all public health facilities in the country to be sold to
patients at a reduced price.
Hydroxyurea is a
Commonly used drugs for patients with sickle cell disease in developed countries
developed by Novartis and approved for use in adults and children
with SCD.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare,
The director general of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said at a press conference at
On Wednesday in Accra, the MOU was a public-private partnership between Novartis,
Ministry of Health, GHS and Ghana Sickle Cell Foundation.
It is planned to
in the next five years, to improve and prolong the lives of people with
disease through a holistic approach to screening, diagnosis, treatment and management
disease, train and educate and enhance clinical and scientific research
capabilities.
He said with the MOU,
partners plan to collaborate on field trials and guidelines for the management of
sickle cell disease, by setting up centers of excellence for
SCD in the 16 regional capitals.
This, he says, would
followed by the extension of newborn screening for SCD, which was currently being
made in some districts of Kumasi alone.
"The partners focused
thus in four main areas; treatment of the disease, which seeks to
make hydroxyurea available and accessible in Ghana, diagnosis, for the purpose of
put at least one newborn screening site available in each region, search
and advocacy, "he added.
Dr. Nsiah-Asare said
Under the MOU, the GHS will prioritize sickle cell disease as an unmet medical need
Ghana's health agenda and facilitate coordination between the different
governmental entities.
He noted that the
the partners worked together for the inclusion of the hydroxyurea drug
and badociated laboratory tests on the national health insurance scheme
Mr Patrice Natchaba,
Head of Global Health and Corporate Responsibilities at Novartis, explained
partnership should ensure that no child or family with
Sickle cell disease was left behind.
He encouraged families
to have their children tested for the sickle cell gene that an early diagnosis was
the safest way to reduce the burden of disease.
Hydroxyurea, according to
for him, makes red blood cells healthier when taken daily.
Mr. Natchaba said
Nortavis was committed to its part of the partnership and will be in September
this year, bring 40,000 additional doses of the drug.
Sickle cell disease is
a life-threatening hereditary disease that causes permanent red damage
blood cells, blood vessels and organs.
It affects the form
of red blood cells and can make blood cells and Bessel sticker than usual.
In Ghana, it is
estimated that about 15,000 births have sickle cell disease every
the Korle-Bu University Hospital diagnoses and treats about 1,000 people on
with hydroxyurea each year.
GNA
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