In a bid to reduce the incidence of sickle cell disease in Ghana, the Xtra Youth Support and Care Organisation (XYSCO) has engaged students of KNUST Senior High School (KNUST SHS) in a life-changing health seminar focused on sickle cell awareness and the importance of genotype testing.
The event brought together hundreds of eager students who were educated on the hereditary nature of the disease and how informed relationship decisions could prevent the birth of children with the SS genotype.
Leading the session was Dr. Efuah Owusu Ansah, a dietitian and youth health advocate. She stressed that sickle cell disease is not a curse, but a genetic condition that can be avoided with proper awareness. “Two people carrying the AS gene risk giving birth to a child with the SS genotype. That child will suffer a lot—not just physically, but emotionally and financially too,” she warned. “This is why we say: know your genotype before falling in love.”
She also encouraged students to adopt healthy lifestyles to support friends or relatives living with the condition.
Madam Catherine A. Korankye Eastwood, a Principal Nursing Officer and Preceptor at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, also addressed the students, listing complications such as chronic anaemia, bone pain, and stroke among the challenges faced by sickle cell patients. “Let us normalize genotype testing just like career planning. It’s a life-saving decision,” she said.
The seminar ended with an engaging Q&A session where students asked questions about testing, dating choices, and managing the condition. Many expressed surprise at how little they knew about sickle cell and pledged to get tested and share the message with others.
Organizers from XYSCO say the outreach is part of a larger campaign that will target more schools across the Ashanti Region and beyond, helping youth take control of their future health through early education. The core message from the day: “Get tested now—protect your future family.”
