GhGenome Project screens about 300 residents of Kumasi for sickle cell conditions

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Kumasi-Ghana, Dec. 23, GNA – About 300 residents of Kumasi, including children, have received free health screening to detect conditions of sickle cell, prostate and breast cancers.
The exercise, undertaken by the Ghanaian Genome (GhGenome) Project, aimed at sensitizing and educating the people on the need to prioritize health issues, especially sickle cell disease, and undertake regular checkups.
Professor Fiifi Ofori-Acquah, Director, GhGenome Project, told the Ghana News Agency after the exercise that, most diseases were genetically related and the risks of people inheriting sicknesses from parents were higher.
It was, therefore, important, to deepen knowledge and engagements on the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and inheritance among the people to enable them to understand the issues involve and take good care to improve their health and ensure peaceful co-existence among family members.
Prof. Ofori-Acquah said the GhGenome Project was spearheading the training of requisite human resource to produce skilled and professional genetic health experts in Ghana.
The first cohort of trainees of Master of Science in Genetic Counselling was underway at the University of Ghana.
These experts, would be responsible for accessing medical and family history of clients, facilitate decision making, communicate health results, quantify the chances of recurrence and give support and guidance to patients.
According to Prof. Ofori-Acquah, the West African Genetic Medicine Center had instituted Molecular Genetics laboratories, which would help train 50 students in Master of Philosophy and doctorate in Molecular Genetics in the next five years.
He said the genetic literacy among Ghanaians was high, auguring well for the GhGenome project to further strengthen the education to enable the people have a better understanding on genetic traits that caused diseases.
Prof. Ofori-Acquah said some traditional leaders, had already welcomed the
GhGenome project and were collaborating to screen people in their areas for genetic diseases.
Mr. Osei Kwarteng, a beneficiary of the screening, lauded the organizers for the initiative, noting that education on DNA was an important health topic that needed discussions at all levels.