Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by pharmaceutical company, Novartis International, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, these institutions, in collaboration with Sickle Cell Foundation, of Ghana have launched a new drug that will provide quality treatment for sickle cell patients in Ghana.
The drug, HydroxyUrea, officially approved for the treatment of the disease in 1998, will provide the best relief for sickle cell patients in the country, according to all the partners at the launch.
Speaking at the launch, the President for Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, Dr Kweku Ohene, said it is important for this step to be taken to reduce the rate of deaths involving children with sickle cell.
“This is one of the commitments. Novartis is going to help us expand newborn screening. They are going to help us have more newborn centres so that these babies will have a place to go to. But we are not going to leave everything into their hands. We have to organize to take over these responsibilities when their help is being pulled away. Also, most of the children who die at a very young age die because of sickle cell diseases, which might not even be known to the parents.”
The Group Head, Global Health and Corporate Responsibility at Novartis, Patrice T. Matchaba, emphasised the commitment of his firm to the partnership, hinting at a future expansion of the partnership based on positive outcomes.
“The purpose is to firstly provide hydroxyurea to aid in the treatment process. The second is to provide hydroxy with good quality at a reduced cost. The initial agreement we are bringing is a 50% reduction in the initial amount. The third one is to help with the implementation of the guidelines. The fourth one is to develop a level of excellence at all the eleven centres. And once we have the level of excellence at the eleven centres is to bring new medicines that we are registering in the US and Europe and studied here, and made available to Ghanaian patients”.
The Director General at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Nsiah Asare, also outlined the role of his outfit in ensure=ing that the drug, through the partnership, will achieve the said purpose.
“We’ve selected some doctors and Nurses who have gone through training on how to treat sickle cell and handle patients with the diseases. We will also use all innovations at our disposal to deploy these drugs. we want to make the drugs accessible and affordable to all.”
About the MOU
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on January 24, 2019, at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The MOU aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of people with sickle cell diseases (SCD) in Ghana.
The public-private partnership also aims to improve and extend lives of people with SCD through a comprehensive approach to screening and diagnosis, treatment and disease management, training and education and elevating basic and clinical research and scientific capabilities.
The MOU has been signed for a duration of five years.
Sickle Cell Disease
SCD is a public health priority and a neglected health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a hereditary and life-threatening condition that causes ongoing damage to red blood cells, blood vessels and organs.
Approximately, 80% of individuals born with SCD globally are born in sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 children in Africa are born with SCD every day and more than half will die before they reach the age of five. In Ghana, it is estimated that 15,000 births are affected by SCD every year.
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By: Bervelyn Longdon | citinewsroom.com | Ghana