Most of the global cases of sickle cell disease are diagnosed in African countries. The Economist Intelligence Unit – the research and analysis division of the Economist media group – estimated that in 2020 the total annual cost of treatment and impact on the economy of sickle cell disease across sub-Saharan Africa was US$9.1 billion. This was expected to rise to US$10.2 billion by 2030. The Conversation Africa’s Ina Skosana spoke to Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh, director of the Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics (Adult Sickle Cell Clinic), and Head of the Department of Haematology, University of Ghana Medical School /Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to find out more about this condition.
