For a child living with Sickle Cell Disease, the difference between a crisis and a close call often comes down to who is watching and how early they intervene. That is the gap Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) are working to close through a two-day training programme designed to equip frontline health workers with the skills to follow up, educate and support families long after a diagnosis has been made.
Organised under the ASH-sponsored Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker Initiative, the training was held at the Department of Child Health Conference Room under the strategic leadership of Professor Catherine Segbefia, Head of the Department of Child Health and CONSA National Coordinator.
The programme brought together 45 participants from the Hospital, Mamprobi Hospital, Ussher Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, Ngleshie Amanfro Polyclinic, Kasoa Polyclinic, Iron City Health Centre and Ga East Municipal Hospital, Kwabenya.
Held under the theme, "Strengthening Community-Based Follow-Up, Caregiver Support and Retention in Care for Children Living with Sickle Cell Disease," the training attracted a multidisciplinary group of Public Health Officers, Nurses, Midwives, Community Health Nurses, Health Promotion Officers, Disease Control Officers, Data Managers and Community Health Volunteers.
Nurse Specialist and CONSA Nurse Coordinator Diana Dwuma-Badu opened the programme with an overview of CONSA and its objectives. CONSA Community Health Worker Supervisor Albert Peprah then took participants through the fundamentals of Sickle Cell Disease, addressing common myths and stigma, counselling approaches, home-based care practices, and the recognition of danger signs using the Community Health Worker Job Aid.
Nurse Specialist and CONSA Nurse Coordinator Eugenia Owiafe followed with a session on the roles and responsibilities of Community Health Workers, as well as best practices for home visits. She emphasised the importance of community engagement in sustaining continuity of care.
CONSA Data Manager Augustine Asubonteng concluded the technical sessions with training on data collection and reporting using the REDCap and Dimagi platforms, underscoring the importance of high-quality data in strengthening patient follow-up and improving continuity of care.
The programme concluded with closing remarks and the presentation of certificates by Professor Catherine Segbefia, who reflected on the significance of the initiative and encouraged participants to remain committed to improving the lives of children living with Sickle Cell Disease. Dr Lilly Tagoe, Team Lead for the Sickle Cell Disease Newborn Screening Project, was also present to support participants throughout the training.
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