Knowing your sickle cell status before falling in love is advised for young adults planning to be married in the future.

As sickle cell disease (SCD) sufferers have terrible experiences, this will help prevent heartaches, disappointments, and even divorce after having children with SCD later in life.

This is essential to keep people from marrying others who have sickle cell in their genes, which would expose them to the poten­tially fatal consequences of SCD according to Ms. Charlotte Owusu, the founder of the Sickle Cell Con­dition Advocates (SICCA).

During the introduction of a na­tional SCD policy aimed at enhanc­ing comprehensive and coordinated healthcare services for sufferers nationwide Ghanaians, particu­larly the young, were cautioned by Ms. Owusu not to minimise the condition, which causes a health, financial, and societal cost.

Some people do not check their sickle cell status before getting married, and this has been harming their marriages. Those who have children with sickle cell disease wish it had never been discovered, but it is too late.

Due to their children’s SCD, some people have lost their chil­dren, while others have experi­enced unsuccessful marriages.

According to statistics, one in four Ghanaians are thought to carry the sickle cell trait, which is indicated by the haemoglobin S or C gene. Sadly, some people are unaware of their status.

Also, nine out of 10 Ghanaians, according to national statistics, do not know if they have sickle cell disease (SCD). This situation is made worse by the fact that between 15,000 and 20,000 babies are born with SCD in Ghana each year, which accounts for two per­cent of all live births.

This is a serious matter, and a lot of education should be done to promote it in the media so that people will take it seriously enough for their own benefit.

Since one in every 50 Ghanaian children is thought to have sickle cell disease, with 50 to 90 per­cent of them passing away before turning five, it is therefore advan­tageous for young people to get screened for the condition as soon as possible.

In order to make the best choice, several religious organi­sations have mandated that pro­spective couples check their status as soon as they begin counselling. Knowing one’s status prior to mar­riage is preferable to being married and then having problems after having children.

It is a positive move, and The Spectator would like to encourage religious leaders to use their plat­forms to inform followers – espe­cially young people – about their position.

Although there are treatments like hydroxyurea, penicillin, folic acid, and bone marrow transplants, among others, prevention of sickle cell disease is crucial, thus it is actually better to be aware of your status so that you do not marry someone who shares it.

People need to be taught to screen before falling in love and to come clean early in a relationship before it becomes too deep and challenging to end.