Ghana secures 5-year deal to use Novartis’ drug for sickle cell treatment

Ghana will use hydroxyurea, a generic drug developed by Novartis, for the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) following a five-year agreement signed in January this year.

The treatment, according to the Ghana Health Service, will soon be deployed to health facilities across the country to reduce the current of cost treating the genetic disease.

Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare,  said at a media encounter in Accra on Wednesday that the public-private partnership deal will significantly reduce the cost of treating the disease that claims the lives of many infants in Ghana.

Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare

Photo: Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare

SCD is a hereditary condition that causes consistent damage to red blood cells, blood vessels and organs.

It affects the shape of red blood cells and can make blood cells and Bessel sticker than usual.

The Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana’s biggest referral hospital, diagnoses and treats about 1,000 patients with hydroxyurea every year.

The first consignment of 5, 600 doses of hydroxyurea have been brought into the country and would be distributed in all public health facilities across the country to be sold to patients at a reduced price.

Hydroxyurea is the main treatment for SCD patients with sickle cell diseases in developed countries.

Within the five-year that the agreement will be in force, SCD treatment with hydroxyurea is expected to improve and extend the lives of people with the disease through a comprehensive approach to screen, diagnose, treat and manage the disease, train and educate as well as elevate clinical research and scientific capabilities.

Dr Nsiah-Asare said stakeholders plan to collaborate on field testing and guidelines for management of sickle cell diseases, through the establishment of centres of excellence for SCD in the 16 regional capitals.

“The partners focused on four main areas, thus; treatment of the disease, which seeks to seek to make hydroxyurea available and accessible in Ghana, diagnosis, with aims to make at least one newborn screening site available in each region, research and advocacy,” he said.

Dr Nsiah-Asare said the Ghana Health Service will under the MOU, prioritise sickle cell disease as an unmet medical need in Ghana’s health agenda and facilitate the coordination amongst the various government entities.

He noted that the partners were working together for the inclusion of the hydroxyurea medicine and associated laboratory testing on the National Health Insurance Scheme

Mr Patrice Natchaba, Head of Global Health and Corporate Responsibilities at Novartis, explained that the partnership was to ensure that no child or family suffering from sickle cell disease was left behind.

He encouraged families to have their children tested for the sickle cell gene as an early diagnosis was the surest way to reduce the disease burden.

Hydroxyurea, according to him, makes the red blood cells healthier when taken ondaily basis.

Mr Natchaba said Nortavis was committed to its part of the partnership and will by September this year, bring in another 40,000 doses of the medicine.

RELATED NEWS

More than 4,000 school children petition government to prioritise oral health

03 Apr 2019
2,127

We followed due process in awarding GHC3m condom contract – Health Ministry

01 Apr 2019
2,518

Ghana needs to implement healthcare policies effectively – Prof Akosa

25 Feb 2019
262

Nana Addo didn’t lie, nurses granted financial clearance – Health Ministry

24 Feb 2019
387

Gov’t misses deadlines for completion of abandoned hospitals

19 Feb 2019
169

Govt procures 275 ambulances

18 Feb 2019
209

Gabby Otchere Darko, McDan CEO pay for sick boy’s surgery

17 Feb 2019
1,530

We can’t stop Obengfo from operating illegally – Medical & Dental Council

30 Jan 2019
130

Swollen legs are no sign of twins

30 Jan 2019
394

Physicians and Surgeons Foundation pledges support for Ghana’s healthcare

29 Jan 2019
1,590

Court discharges Dr Obengfo for ‘want of prosecution’

29 Jan 2019
2,332

New labs launched to boost plant medicine

28 Jan 2019
1,173

Eating fried foods could increase death risk, study warns

28 Jan 2019
3,119

Korle Bu won’t be shut down; we’ve an agreement with HeFRA – Dr. Okoe Boye

25 Jan 2019
1,832

NHIA CEO Sacked!

25 Jan 2019
1,842

Gov’t partners Novartis to tackle sickle cell disease

24 Jan 2019
1,263

U/West Region: Anti-Snake Vaccine Kills 10

24 Jan 2019
2,461

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Operating Without A Valid License

24 Jan 2019
180

FDA warns against cosmetic products containing mercury hydroquinone

23 Jan 2019
935

Fomena District Hospital project Stalls over lack of funds

22 Jan 2019
189

1,598 comments