{"id":4917,"date":"2025-08-05T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T11:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/?p=4917"},"modified":"2025-08-13T13:54:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T13:54:21","slug":"strengthening-ghanas-blood-care-system-a-comprehensive-initiative-to-combat-childhood-cancer-sickle-cell-disease-and-donation-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/05\/strengthening-ghanas-blood-care-system-a-comprehensive-initiative-to-combat-childhood-cancer-sickle-cell-disease-and-donation-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"STRENGTHENING GHANA\u2019S BLOOD CARE SYSTEM: A COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE TO COMBAT CHILDHOOD CANCER, SICKLE CELL DISEASE, AND DONATION MYTHS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Ghana faces daunting challenges in managing childhood cancer and sickle cell disease, with <\/span>survival rates lingering below 50 percent<\/span><\/i><\/b>. Late diagnosis, limited treatment access, and a critical shortage of trained haematology professionals contribute to these poor outcomes. In response, <\/span>World Child Cancer has launched a nationwide effort\u2014the Strengthening Haematology Skills Project<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u2014to bolster clinical capacity, streamline blood management, and address widespread myths that discourage voluntary blood donation.<\/span><\/p>

Survival statistics for blood\u2010related diseases in Ghana paint an urgent picture<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0where<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>hildhood leukemia and other cancers often go undetected until they reach advanced stages.<\/span>\u00a0There\u2019s also the image of s<\/span>ickle cell disease patients frequently experienc<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0acute crises<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0requiring timely transfusions.\u00a0<\/span>A f<\/span><\/i><\/b>ewer than half of affected children survive<\/span><\/i><\/b>, owing largely to resource constraints and workforce gaps.<\/span><\/p>

The shortage of dedicated haematologists and oncology pharmacists exacerbates these obstacles,<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0leaving hospitals and clinics ill-equipped to manage complex transfusion protocols and psychosocial patient needs.<\/span>\u00a0The World Child Cancer has launched the Strengthening Haematology Skills Project as a result and t<\/span>he initiative aims to<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0c<\/span><\/i><\/b>lose critical skill gaps in both clinical and emotional support for patients<\/span><\/i><\/b>, e<\/span><\/i><\/b>nhance safety and efficacy of blood transfusions for leukemia and sickle cell crises<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0and f<\/span><\/i><\/b>oster sustainable, in\u2010country expertise via a training\u2010of\u2010trainers model.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Adwoa Pinamang Boateng Desu, Country Coordinator for World Child Cancer<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u201c With the ongoing challenges of transfusion reactions, limited funding, and poor management of blood disorders, we launched this project to strengthen haematology care in Ghana \u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAdwoa Pinamang Boateng Desu<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Supported by Bristol Myers Squibb,\u00a0<\/span>the programme has reached<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span>282 healthcare professionals nationwide<\/span><\/i><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span>14 specialized oncology pharmacists<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0and m<\/span><\/i><\/span>ultiple nurses and laboratory technologists,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span>each empowered to train peers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This cascade approach multiplies impact by equipping local trainers with both diagnostic protocols and patient\u2010counseling techniques.<\/span><\/p>

Recognizing that technical expertise alone cannot drive better outcomes<\/span><\/i><\/span>, the curriculum includes\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>tandardized protocols for blood typing, cross\u2010matching, and transfusion monitoring<\/span>, p<\/span>sycho<\/span>–<\/span>social modules on communicating diagnoses, managing treatment anxiety, and supporting families through crisis<\/span>\u00a0and h<\/span>ands\u2010on blood\u2010supply management workshops to minimize wastage and ensure traceability.<\/span><\/p>

To bridge the gap between clinical practice and community engagement,\u00a0<\/span>the project collaborated with Ghana Health Service\u2019s Health Promotion Division<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0to produce<\/span>\u00a0i<\/span>llustrated brochures explaining transfusion procedures for sickle cell and leukemia<\/span>, r<\/span>adio scripts and social\u2010media content designed to demystify blood donation<\/span>\u00a0and t<\/span>raining videos showcasing best practices in patient empathy and consent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>These resources aim to elevate both public understanding and clinician confidence<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0in addressing sensitive cultural beliefs around blood.<\/span><\/p>

Persistent misconceptions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>such as donated blood being diverted for occult rituals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0done nothing but e<\/span>rode public trust in medical institutions.<\/span>\u00a0These misconceptions have also r<\/span>esulted in <\/span>chronic shortages, delaying life\u2010saving transfusions<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0and f<\/span><\/i><\/b>orced clinicians to ration scarce supplies, sometimes with fatal consequences.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr. Shirley Owusu\u2010Ofori, CEO of the National Blood Service<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u201c Every unit of blood donated is fully traceable from the point of donation to the recipient. Even discarded units are properly accounted for. The National Blood Service does not collaborate with any spiritual or non\u2010clinical entities. All blood is used strictly for medical purposes \u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Shirley Owusu\u2010Ofori<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Key measures<\/span> in this endeavour<\/span> include<\/span> bar-code<\/span> tracking of each donation through collection, testing, storage, and transfusion<\/span>, making p<\/span>ublic dashboards report donation statistics and safety metrics<\/span> and engaging in c<\/span>ommunity outreach via local radio and church forums to debunk harmful narratives.<\/span> <\/span>Within six months of launching<\/span><\/i><\/span> t<\/span><\/i><\/span>he number of voluntary donors at regional centers rose by 25 percent.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Reported transfusion reactions<\/span> also<\/span> declined by 40 percent, <\/span>indicating improved protocol adherence<\/span><\/i><\/b> and p<\/span>atient satisfaction surveys reflect <\/span>greater confidence in both clinical care and emotional support. <\/span><\/i><\/b>Healthcare facilities are beginning to see a tangible shift in workflow efficiency and patient trust,<\/span><\/i><\/b> laying a foundation for long\u2010term sustainability<\/span> yet d<\/span>espite promising progress, the project has navigated several hurdles<\/span> such as e<\/span>nsuring consistent funding beyond the initial grant period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing rural outreach gaps where community health workers are scarce<\/span> just as much as o<\/span>vercoming language barriers that complicate standardized messaging<\/span> have also posed as challenges<\/span>. <\/span>Lessons from these experiences highlight the need for<\/span><\/i><\/b> l<\/span><\/i><\/b>ocal partnerships with traditional leaders to tailor messages<\/span><\/i><\/b>, m<\/span>obile training modules to reach remote clinics<\/span> and the e<\/span>stablishment of a national haematology professional network for ongoing mentorship.<\/span><\/p>\n

To embed gains into Ghana\u2019s health system,<\/span><\/i><\/b> stakeholders are explorin<\/span>g the idea of i<\/span>ncorporatin<\/span>g<\/span> the training curriculum into medical and nursing school <\/span>syllabus<\/span>. Government <\/span>is also <\/span>commit<\/span>ting<\/span> to formalizing haematology roles within district hospitals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Expansion of myth\u2010busting campaigns in schools and marketplaces<\/span> is also something that is on the table. <\/span>By weaving these elements into the national healthcare fabric, <\/span>Ghana can aspire to double survival rates for childhood cancer and sickle cell disease<\/span><\/i><\/b> over the next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Strengthening Haematology Skills Project represents a multifaceted strategy\u2014<\/span>spanning clinical training, psycho<\/span><\/i><\/b>–<\/span><\/i><\/b>social support, educational outreach, and myth dispelling<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u2014to fortify Ghana\u2019s blood care system. <\/span>Early indicators suggest meaningful improvements <\/span><\/i><\/b>in both practice and public perception. <\/span>Continued investment and collaborative partnerships will be crucial to sustain momentum,<\/span><\/i><\/b> with the ultimate goal of ensuring every Ghanaian patient receives <\/span>safe, effective, and compassionate haematology care.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Source:<\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span>Health experts strengthen Ghana\u2019s blood care system to tackle cancer, sickle cell, and donation myths – MyJoyOnline<\/span><\/u><\/a><\/p>

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Ghana faces daunting challenges in managing childhood cancer and sickle cell disease, with survival rates lingering below 50 percent. Late diagnosis, limited treatment access, and a critical shortage of trained […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5717,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59,73,80,52,57,76,71,58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anemia-prevention-management","category-communicable-non-communicable-diseases","category-healthcare-administrators","category-industry-insights","category-professional-insights","category-public-health-disease-control","category-substance-abuse-public-health-risks","category-wellness-preventive-care"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4917"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6413,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4917\/revisions\/6413"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rxdatainsights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}