On behalf of the Board members of Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation, it
is with a great sense of loss that I mourn Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, a colossus
and an academic giant, a teacher of teachers, public health specialist and a
global health leader for Africa, a colleague and a friend.
We give God the glory for giving this giant of a man to mankind. He was
large in knowledge and humble in spirit. He gave so much to science, medicine,
community and humanity especially in raising awareness and care on Sickle Cell
Disease in Africa. He is fondly remembered for his efforts to curb the menace
of Sickle Cell Disease in Africa. His pioneer efforts
towards testing for and treatment of Sickle Cell Disease around the world and
developing the first public health program for screening newborns in Africa are
efforts worth emulating by all. Some of us knew him when he and his lovely wife
left the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia to take up this arduous task in
the villages on motorbikes to help your SCD community. He labored setting up
education & awareness strategies; diagnostic framework; organizing
conferences across African countries in Ghana in 2010, 2012 etc. and finally
with the active support of the Ghanaian Government secured the best Sickle Cell
Complex in Africa from the Brazillian Government. A
prototype of the complex was shown to us all at the SCD conference in 2010 and
by 2012 it was already in completion stage. Our dear friend and colleague, we
cannot but admire your courage and effort. Even after suffering a defeat of the
death of your son, you continued to champion the course and care of those with
Sickle Cell Disease. You got all on board in Ghana academics and community and
initiated the New Born Screening with the progressive support of your government.
You have done us proud, you have done humanity proud, your name will never
tarnish and the SCD affected community you served so well will never ever
forget you.
We, at Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation are inspired
by the times and life of Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, a worthy son of Ghana and
the world at large. We are committed to the course of reducing the burden of
Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria and will ride on the foundational structure of
Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong to continue efforts towards achieving a Sickle Cell
Disease free community.
Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong will be greatly missed
but not forgotten as his footprints are planted firmly in the sands of time.
May the Lord console his amiable wife and family and may his soul find repose
in his maker. We are grateful to have been associated with him. We pray that
light perpetual shine on him.
Yours sincerely,
Professor
Adeyinka G. Falusi FAMedS, FAS, NPOM,
L’Oreal/UNESCO
Laureate (2001)
Trustee
& Founder, Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF)
+234
810 819 2619