A non-profit organisation, Heale, has called for the integration of mental health and psychosocial support into routine care for people living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
It said this was needed to address the emotional, psychological and social challenges associated with the disease and improve the overall quality of life of affected persons and their caregivers.
The call was made by a co-founder of Heale, Dr Enam Sefakor Bankas, during a commemoration of World Sickle Cell Day 2026 in Accra.
"Addressing these concerns would help people living with the disease to thrive physically, emotionally, socially and mentally," she stated.
The event had the theme “Think Heale: Mental Health, Wellness and Self-Care in Sickle Cell Disease”, and it was used to discuss the often-overlooked emotional and psychosocial dimensions of the condition.
It was attended by people living with SCD, caregivers, healthcare professionals, mental health experts, policymakers, advocates, students and members of the public.
Collective action
Dr Bankas called on healthcare providers to incorporate mental health services into routine SCD care and appealed to communities to challenge stigma and promote understanding and inclusion.
She urged policymakers to strengthen support systems for people living with SCD.
Dr Bankas also encouraged families and caregivers to pay equal attention to emotional wellbeing, while persons living with the condition were advised to prioritise wellness and self-care.
"Although awareness of the physical complications of SCD has increased over the years, issues relating to anxiety, emotional distress, social isolation, stigma, uncertainty about the future and caregiver burden remain largely under-recognised," Dr Bankas said.
Beyond physical health
A clinical psychologist, Eugene Tornyeavah, said that people living with SCD often faced challenges that extended beyond pain crises, hospital admissions and medical treatment.
He added that emotional distress, social isolation, uncertainty about the future, stigma and the demands of managing a lifelong condition could significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their caregivers.
"Mental health, wellness and self-care are not luxuries but essential components of living well with Sickle Cell Disease. SCD care requires recognition of the whole person and not only the disease," he said.
About Heale
Heale is a Ghana-based community-centred health and wellness initiative that supports individuals living with benign haematological conditions through advocacy, education, psychosocial support, community engagement and wellness programmes.
The organisation continues the work of Sickle Life and the Sickle Cell Awareness Initiative, whose interventions since 2018 have directly impacted more than 150,000 people.
