EBENEZER TAGOE: GALLANT SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENT ACHIEVER

Tribute by Professor Felix I D Konotey-Ahulu

Ebenezer Mensah Tagoe was born on Ghana’s Independence Day 6th March 1957. Like 3 of the 11 children born to my own parents Ebenezer had Sickle Cell Disease the hereditary cold rainy season rheumatism that Ga people call Tswetsweetswe (Chwechweechwe) known to us long before Europeans called it Sickle Cell Disease.

Parents of chwechweechwe children passed on the ache code to the child even when they themselves may not have the “ache” problem, because it takes 2 codes of “ache”, one from father, one from mother to make the child ache with cold season rheumatism.

Like in my own family those of us 11 children receiving an ache code from one parent and the normal blood code from the other parent do not ache in the rainy season. In other words, parents who are NORM-ACHE type like my own patients pass on NORM or ACHE code to a particular child, never both.

Ebenezer, as well as my 2 brothers and 1 sister got ACHE code from both our parents to produce double ACHE which combination makes the blood cells thicken under certain conditions to cause joint and body aches characteristic of Sickle Cell Disease.

HOW EBENEZER TAGOE BECAME ACHIEVER WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Although it was being taught that sickle cell disease patients did not live beyond thirty years of age, Ebenezer lived longer than twice of 30 years because he quickly learnt that only certain events produced the serious pains (called crises) which he learnt to avoided – things like being caught in the rain, fever, and infections. He attended and spoke at all The International Conferences of Sickle Cell Disease Patient Achievers that I organised in 1993 at Royal Society of Medicine in London, 1995 in Accra, and 2010 also in Accra where he told the audience to much amusement that he had avoided painful sickle cell crisis in the previous 20 years by drinking 4 Litres of water every single day provided he could find a suitable place to pass water. He used to educate doctors in England. Ebenezer had trained as a professional pharmacist and worked in a London University Teaching Hospital where a Consultant Haematologist could not believe he had sickle cell disease until he tested his blood to find he possessed double ACHE codes making him ACHEACHE. His parents, like mine were healthy NORMACHE capable of donating NORM or ACHE codes to their children.
Ebenezer married a lady who was NORMNORM so that none of their children would have double ACHE Chwechweechwe or Sickle Cell Disease.

ABORTING SICKLE CELL DISEASE PREGNANCIES IS WRONG!

By doing so well professionally as a Pharmacist in a London Teaching Hospital Ebenezer proved that the sickle cell code (S) or gene was not the only thing his parents gave him. He received from his Mum and Dad codes for beauty, brilliance, sympathy, and kindness as well as the sickle cell codes so teaching doctors how wrong it was that they should advise parents to abort a pregnancy that tested had shown would produce sickle cell disease. Doctors today, today, today are aborting sickle cell disease pregnancies unaware that they could be aborting geniuses.

The International Conferences I organised were attended by great ACHIEVERS in Nursing, Teaching, Businesses, Pharmacy, and other professions. If the parents had aborted Ebenezer, could his brilliant children have been produced through a wonderful wife who helped him in his hereditary illness? Where did these children, now adults, get their brilliant genes from? He invited me and my wife in 1994 to their 10th Wedding Anniversary in England, and I was greatly happy when he named one of his sons after me for looking after him at Korle Bu.

WE SALUTE THE MEMORY OF EBENZER MENSAH TAGOE

We indeed salute the memory of one who achieved great things through suffering. At a time when younger people than him had been taken out of this life Ebenezer Mensah Tagoe lived to 65 years, defeated his last Enemy Death, and has gone into the GLORY to enjoy LORD JESUS CHRIST. My heartfelt Condolences, and my wife Rosemary’s go to his dear mother Mrs Janet Gifty Tagoe-Quayle and his brothers Prince Nwojo Tagoe, Jonathan Adokwei Tagoe, and George Felix Ankamah Tagoe, and also to the larger family.

October 13, 2022

EDUCATION: EXPERIENCE WITH FIVE CONSECUTIVE BMJ EDITORS THAT ENHANCED MY GLOBAL CITATION

On May 20, 2022, I received a letter from University of Cape Coast, Ghana, hich began thus:

“Dear Sir, INVITATION TO SPECIAL AWARD CEREMONY AND LAUNCHING OF 2023-2027 UCC RESEARCH AGENDA AND UCC AT 60 INVOCATION REPORT
“The Times Higher Education 2022 World Universities Ranking adjudjed University of Cape Coast (UCC) as first in Ghana and West Africa, fourth in Africa and ranked first globally for citations. This great achievement of the University was made possible by dint of your scholarly contributions and commitment to the mission of the University.

“In showing appreciation, University Management has scheduled a special ceremony to award you for your invaluable support to the course of this institution … …”

MY CONTRIBUTION THROUGH BMJ FREQUENTLY CITED

My Acceptance Speech https://youtu.be/SewHhUBEkTo after being honoured on May 31 in Ghana included the great role BMJ played in my being more cited than any other to make “The Times Higher Education 2022 World Universities Ranking place University of Cape Coast where I am Kwegyir Aggrey Professor of Human Genetics “first globally for citations”.

EDUCATION comprises correcting errors as well as proclaiming new things and emphasizing important facts. I would like to think since 1965 when BMJ published three new things for me the five Editors in succession have enabled me to correct errors, challenge received wisdom, and even make known one invention (MPSI) I made in Clinical Genetics. How these Editors have helped me publications-wise is described here. Perhaps some aspects may help doctors half my age because some of what might be called “Minor Communications” contained such not-known-about-before information that they appeared in the CITATIONS.

My profound gratitude goes to Dr Hugh Clegg, Dr Martin Ware, Dr Stephen Lock, Dr David Smith, Dr Fiona Godlee, all who were very helpful to me in the past 59 years.

WITH EDITORS DR HUGH CLEGG 1963 TO DR FIONA GODLEE TILL 2021
My detailed publications, minor and major, reflect why some continue to be cited decades after they originally appeared.

DR HUGH CLEGG 12th BMJ Editor 1947 to 1965: My first BMJ Communication was 18 June 1963 [1a]. In 1965 Dr Clegg published my “Varicose veins in pregnancy” [1b]; Torrential epistasis associated with symmetrical facial skin ulceration in sickle cell anaemia” [1c]; Colleagues and I from London’s Royal Free Hospital described “peripheral neuropathy from dialysis in end-stage renal failure” [1d]

DR MARTIN WARE The 13th BMJ Editor (1966-1975) published for me January 27, 1966 [2a]. Year 1969 was when he invited me to write “PERSONAL VIEWS” and paid me £100 for each, equivalent to 3 times my monthly Ghanaian Physician Specialist salary.

I wrote three: (i) Superstition and Phenomena in Africa [2b] (ii) Genetic Counselling in Sickle Cell Disease [2c], (iii) in 1975 he published my PERSONAL VIEW “Tafracher” the Ghanaian vital devulgarizing word [2d] https://bit.ly/3mJBMfm

Two Medical Memoranda in 1969, Ghanaian Family of 14 and 15 with not a single Normal Haemoglobin gene [2e 2f] continue to be quoted today 53 years later. Then in 1970 came “Haemolytic anaemia in pregnancy in Nigerians” [2g] and in 1971 “Malaria and Sickle cell disease” [2h].

In 1972 Dr Martin Ware rang me in Ghana to discuss an article three British doctors published with erroneous information, and which he later made the authors withdraw. He published my reactions to the authors’ article [2i 2j]. FULL MARKS to him for pursuing authors for truth. Another communication came on 28 October 1972 correcting dangerously wrong detection of sickle haemoglobin S, cited last month 50 years later [2k].

DR STEPHEN LOCK CBE 14th BMJ Editor (1975-1991) had dealings with me when AIDS was raging. In those days, articles submitted, refereed, editors’ decision, and publication took ages. But when I submitted my detailed fact-findings soon after a 6-weeks’ tour of several African countries to study grassroots epidemiology of AIDS it took just 18 days from submission date for Dr Stephen Lock to publish my “Clinical Epidemiology, not sero-epidemiology, is the answer to Africa’s AIDS Problem” [3a].

Reprint requests poured in from everywhere, 567 in all because what I described happening on my Continent was entirely different from the Media Mantra “Scientists blame African Green Monkey for AIDS in Africa, therefore Wear Condoms!” http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/294/6587/1593.pdf [3a]
Dr Stephen Lock did make my voice heard not a few times 1977 [3b], 1980 [3c 3d – MPSI],1981 [3e], 1982 [3f – Sickle cell disease survey], 1984 [3g – Ethical issues in prenatal diagnosis July 21], 1985 [3h Ethnic minorities and sickle cell disease, 3i – Tribute to Prof. Hermann Lehmann], 1986 [3j – Epidemiology Correctly Defined] 1991 [3k Kwashiorkor Ghanaian tribal word origin, 3l – Penicillin prophylaxis in sickle cell disease, 3m – Morphine queried for sickle cell disease patients] – all these appear in my 434 minor and major Publications listed on www.konotey-ahulu.com or www.sicklecell.md [3n]

But what I cherished most was when Dr Lock in 2001 published the Genetic Index I invented, “MPSI”, which proved mathematically that procreation-wise females can never be the equal of males [3d].
Funny enough, Dr Stephen Lock’s last year as Editor was when I met the elegant lady who later became BMJ Editor, Dr Fiona Godlee. I had gone to BMA House to donate copy of my newly published Magnus Opus “THE SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENT” [3o 3p] to the Editor as I had just done to Lancet’s Editor [3q]. It was to her I gave the book to pass on to Dr Stephen Lock who was glad to see me because we both had learnt much from Professor Hermann Lehmann MD FRS in Cambridge.

DR RICHARD SMITH 15th BMJ Editor 1991-2004 published my Tribute [4a] to the remarkable Professor Dame Sheila Sherlock, the then Liver Queen of the world who with the recommendation of her husband Dr Geraint James MA MD FRCP, Teacher for the MRCP Exam of Therapeutics at Royal Postgraduate Medical School Hammersmith Hospital for the MRCP Exam, made me Research Fellow in her Department of Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital to work on the Renal Unit of the kidney giant Dr Stanley Shaldon MA MD FRCP in 1964-1965. Outcome of my research was one of the 1965 BMJ articles still quoted in 2022 on dialysis for end-stage renal failure. [1d]

Dr Richard Smith also published for me four clinical experiences for which I coined the word supra-scientific, for so each of them was, and still are. [4b].

A remarkable article by Didier Fassin and Helen Schneider [4c] revealing scientific misbehaviour in South Africa as contributing to AIDS havoc in the Black Population prompted me to respond with a 7,000-word article and 70 References which Editor Richard Smith did not reject, but published on line in its entirety [4d], available on http://www.rethinking.org/bmj/response_30917.html even today. I was 30th of 835 Responders from the year 2003 to 2005 when Dr Smith handed the Editor’s baton to Dr Fiona Godlee.

ENTERS DR FIONA GODLEE [16th BMJ Editor 2005-2021]
As soon as Dr Godlee assumed reins of the BMJ she stopped all Rapid Responses on AIDS in South Africa. I was crest-fallen because Responders had been inching nearer and nearer to what Leonard G Horowitz brilliantly dissected in 598 pages of his “Emerging Viruses: AIDS & Ebola – Nature, Accident or Intentional?” [5a].

The Didier Fassin/Helen Schneider bombshell [4c] was full of Facts authenticated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Reconciliation Exercise [5b] when scientists with Nazi proclivities confessed to wrongdoing. To halt Debate on an article that revealed “Parliamentarians rejoicing at how Blacks are dying from AIDS” [4a] caused Africans to mutter “Do we now have a Racist BMJ Editor?” But Dr Fiona Godlee was not at all racist. Two years on one Debate which could go on and on indefinitely? As former Editor of Ghana Medical Journal [5c 5d 5e 5f] I have admired the way Dr Fiona Godlee has navigated choppy journalistic waters. Paranoid African spectacles make me sometimes impatient with what I read in the BMJ, but as I put myself in her shoes, I admit freely she had done much better than I would have ever done. I gave her “Pluses” for making my voice heard very often in BMJ-on-line as indicated below:

ONE AFRICAN DOCTOR’S TESTIMONY TO DR FIONA GODLEE’S KINDNESS

I said EDUCATION involves correcting misinformation, teaching new things, underlining irrefutable facts, and challenging Received Wisdom.
“Kwashiorkor” – name we in my Krobo-Dangme-Ga mega tribe in Ghana [5g] have for centuries had for the childhood disease later described by Cicely Williams [5h 5i] – was the first article [224 in Publications List] of some 100 times in the BMJ that the Editor Dr Godlee permitted my voice to be heard from 14 May 2005 to 2021.

Researchers who cited me freely agree that the “List of Publications” found in www.konotey-ahulu.com or www.sicklecell.md [3j] reveals where Misinformation apart from that of Kwashiorkor in textbooks has been corrected.

For example, there has been widespread misinformation that sickle cells protect against malaria, when in fact malaria is known to be the greatest killer of children with sickle cell disease in Africa [3a 5k(284) 5l 5m].

I was born of Trait parents into a Sickle Cell Disease home with 3 sickle cell disease children of 11 offspring, enabling me as a doctor to place “The Sickle Cell Disease Patient” above “Sickle Cell Disease”. Malaria always brought on sickle cell crisis! To allow patients’ wellbeing, “Clinical Experience” which was with me from childhood was enhanced as a doctor to value it above “Haematological Experience” [5n].

Supernatural Phenomena, Darwinian Evolution, Public Health including Vaccinology form part of my publications list.

Dr Fiona Godlee continued to make my voice heard on several different topics allowing me to challenge Received Wisdom: Using my Publications List references to check, other articles are Human resources for health in Africa [234], Doctors as lapdogs to drug firms [260], Prenatal tests and abortion [261 331 334 417], Traditional Medicine [262], Stethoscope and Parkinson’s Kap’s sign [264 295], Sickle Cell Care centres [266], Four bodyguards for speaking scientific truth [271], Pharmacovigilance [272], Opiates for dying and sickle cell disease patients [273], Circumcision and alleged AIDS protection [275], Malaria [279 302 304 320], UK Sickle Cell Disease Patient mismanagement [280 293], Vaccines for genital warts [285], International Donors and conflicting interests [286 293], Conflicting Advice in Clinical Medicine [287 316], Haemodialysis, home and other [ 288 291 315], The soul is supra-scientific [294], NCEPOD Report Poor care of sickle cell disease patients in UK [296 300 357], Sickle Cell Disease Patient management [374 419], Internet Revolution [301], BMJ Archive and other [303 360], Genetic Testing HGC and Public Health [305 408], Blowing own trumpet [306], Fixed drug eruption [307
310], Abdominal aortic aneurysm [309], Free health care must demand responsibilities [311], Drug related deaths rising, and NICE [313 357 358], Honest nurses [314], Politics and Science [317], G6PD Deficiency [321], Genetic Code is supra-scientific [322], Editors and Peer review [324], Modern Genetics blind alley? [327], WHO and H1N1 Pandemic [329], Pain relief politics and economics [330], President Obama apologises over unethical Guatemala syphilis study [332], Nobel Laureate Robert Edwards [333], Physician Dr Geraint James [336], Ethics of gene replacement [337], Music and Tonal Language [339 340], Evangelical Christian appointment controversy [342], Scientific African Revolution through Facebook and Twitter [343], Belief in God ridiculed [301 344 345 346 399], Epistaxis [353], Wikipedia [356], NHS Hospital Delivery Care questioned [358], Pulmonary embolism [361 364], Liverpool Care and Assisted Dying [362 365], Clinical Guidance in Chemotherapy [367], Opiods in the UK [368], Osteomyelitis [370], Erectile Dysfunction [371], Ebola and HIV AIDS [384 385 386], Medical Ethics: Scientists abandon moratorium on germ line editing [387], Sickle cell hip pathology [388 421], Home Office VISA [391 392], Brexit and Democracy [393], International Medical Graduates and quality of care [401], Routine blood tests [403], International fraud and drugs [406], GOD mentioned in BMJ Editorial [409 410], Personal Faith [411], Aviation safety and scientific misinformation [418], Evidence, the human dimension [423], Transgenderism [424 424a], COVID-19 [427 428 429 432].

Is all this part of the reason almost every week, ACADEMIA (Oxford) and ResearchGate (Berlin) alert me that they have observed someone, somewhere, somewhen, has cited me in their publications?

It seems to me the only Minus I observed from Dr Fiona Godlee in a multitude of Pluses was when she allowed that tail-wagging-the-dog Editorial which suggested we replace sex-at-birth with gender later-on [424a]. Sharing in her huge success, I must mention Dr Kamran Abbasi (now Editor), Dr Peter Doshi, and Ms Sharon Davies. Well Done, Great Team, and Thank You!

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS

1. Personal interactions in the past of an aged physician like myself (92 years on 12th July 2022) with a world class Medical Journal like the BMJ may well help in one way or other Consultants half my age, Registrars a third my age, House Officers quarter my age.

2. Tribal Information on Kwashiorkor, and Sickle Cell Disease Patients with Malaria, can expose scientific misinformation.

3. Received Wisdom must not just be accepted because it is trumpeted by so-called experts and accredited Committees and Organisations like WHO, NICE, and NIH..

4. It needs to be proclaimed to students and teachers that Science cannot be used by anybody however brilliant to explain everything.

5. That Science has no place for GOD has not prevented BMJ editorials on GOD.

6. Ethics is not part of science because lying scientists and scientific liars exist.

7. Editorial Integrity decade after decade has placed the BMJ top of the global Class.

8. Personal gratitude to the BMJ requires acknowledgement.

Conflict of Interest: None Declared, but Bias stems from longevity by the grace of GOD which has made my very first ever major article published in 1965 [Sicklaemic Human Hygrometers, Lancet 1965; 1: 103-104] cited in June and October 2022]
felix@konotey-ahulu.com Twitter@profkonoteyahul

Felix I D Konotey-Ahulu FGA MB BS MD(Lond) DSc(UCC) DSc(UH) FRCP(Lond) FRCP(Glasg) DTMH(L’pool) FGCP FWACP FTWAS ORDER OF THE VOLTA (OFFICER) Kwegyir Aggrey Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Former Consultant Physician Genetic Counsellor in Sickle Cell and Other Haemoglobinopathies Korle Bu Teaching Hospital & Director Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics and at Cromwell Hospital London SW5 0TU, and 9 Harley Street, Phoenix Hospital Group, London W1G 9AL [www.sicklecell.md] https://youtu.be/41a1FZSpHd4 & https://youtu.be/SevUBEHhTo for Awards on video]

References

1a Konotey-Ahulu FID. “Case of lightning burns” BMJ 1963; 1: 1547. June 18 1963 doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5344.1547 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/5344/1547-apdf

1b Konotey-Ahulu FID. Varicose veins in pregnancy. BMJ 1965; 2: 1065. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5469.1065 www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/25469/1065.pdf

1c Konotey-Ahulu FID. Torrential epistaxis associated with symmetrical facial skin ulceration in sickle cell anaemia. BMJ 1965 Oct; 2: 859-860. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5466.859 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/2/5466/859.pdf

1d Konotey-Ahulu FID, Baillod RA, Comty CM, Heron JR, Shaldon S, Thomas PK. Effect of periodic dialysis on the peripheral neuropathy of end-stage renal failure. BMJ 1965; 2: 1212-1215 (Nov. 20) doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5472.1212 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/2/5472/1212.pdf

2a Konotey-Ahulu FID. Epistaxis in sickle cell anaemia (12 References). BMJ 1966; 1: 234. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5481.234-a (January 27)

2b Konotey-Ahulu FID. Personal View (Superstition and phenomena in Africa). BMJ 1969; 2: 48 doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5648.48 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/2/5648/48.pdf (April 15, 1969)

2c Konotey-Ahulu FID. Personal View (Genetic counselling in sickle-cell disease). BMJ 1969; 3: 235 doi:10.1136/bmj.3.5664.235 [Substitute ACHE for ‘bad’ and ‘wrong’, and NORM for ‘good’] http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/3/5664/235.pdf

2d Konotey-Ahulu FID. Tafracher – Personal View. BMJ 1975; 1(5953): 329. (Feb. 8 doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5953.329 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/5953/329.pdf Ghanaian Devulgarising word https://bit.ly/3mJBMfm

2e Konotey-Ahulu FID and Ringelhann B. Sickle-cell anaemia, sickle-cell thalassaemia, sickle-cell haemoglobin C disease and asymptomatic haemoglobin C thalassaemia in one Ghanaian family. BMJ 1969 Mar 8; 1(5644): 607-612. doi:10.1136/bmj-1.5644/607 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/5644/607.pdf

2f Bentsi-Enchill KK, Konotey-Ahulu FID. Thirteen children from twelve pregnancies in sickle-cell thalassaemia. BMJ 1969; 3: 762 doi:10.1136/bmj.3.5673.762

2g Konotey-Ahulu FID. Haemolytic anaemia in pregnancy in Nigerians. BMJ 1970: 2(5701): 112 doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5701.112-a (April 11)

2h Konotey-Ahulu FID. Malaria and sickle-cell disease BMJ 1971 June; 2(5763): 710-711 doi:10.1136/bmj.2/5763.710-d

2i Konotey-Ahulu FID. Sickle Cell Trait and altitude. BMJ 1972; 1(5793): 177-78 January 15 doi:10,1136/bmj.1,5793.177-a http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/5793/177-a.pdf

2j Konotey-Ahulu FID. Sickle cell and altitude. BMJ 1972;2: 231-232. 2k Konotey-Ahulu FID. Detecting sickle haemoglobin. BMJ 1972; 4: 239.

3a Konotey-Ahulu FID. Clinical epidemiology, not sero-epidemiology, is the answer to Africa’s AIDS problem BMJ (Clin Res Ed) 1987; 294(6587): 1593-1594 (June 20 1987) doi:10.1136/bmj.294.6587.1593 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/294/6587/1593.pdf

3b Konotey-Ahulu FID. Personal View: The spiritual and the psychological in Clinical Medicine. BMJ 1977; 1: 1595. (June 15) doi:10.1136/bmj.1.6076.1595 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/6076/1595.pdf

3c Konotey-Ahulu FID. English-speaking peoples. (Book Review: English Tests for Doctors by Dick Alderson and Vivienne Ward). BMJ 1980; 280 May 24: 1267-1268. doi:10.1136/bmj.280.6226.1267 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/280/6226/1267.pdf

3d Konotey-Ahulu FID. Male procreative superiority index (MPSI): The missing co-efficient in African anthropogenetics. BMJ 1980; 281(6256): 1700-1702 doi:10.1136/bmj.281.6256.1700 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/281/6256/1700.pdf http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1715685&blobtype=pdf |

3e Konotey-Ahulu FID. Problems of overseas doctors. BMJ Clin Research Ed; 282(6276 :1621-1622 doi:10.1136/bmj.282.6276.1621-a http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/282/6276/1621-a.pdf 1981 May 16 1981

3f Konotey-Ahulu FID. Survey of sickle-cell disease in England and Wales. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/284/6309/112-a.pdf BMJ 1982; 284(6309): 112. doi:10.1136/bmj.284/6309/112a January 9, 1982.

3g Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ethical issues in prenatal diagnosis. BMJ Clin Res Ed 1984; 289(6438): 185. July 21. doi:10.1136/bmj.289.6438.185-a 6143955 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/289/6438/185-a.pdf

3h Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ethnic minorities and Sickle Cell Disease. BMJ Clin Res Ed 1985; 290(6476): 1214 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/290/6476/1214.pdf

3i Konotey-Ahulu FID. Tribute to Professor Hermann Lehmann CBE, MD, PhD, ScD, FRCP, FRCPath, FRSC, FRS. BMJ 1985; 291: 288-289. (July 27, 1985) doi:10.1136/bmj.291.6490.288

3j Konotey-Ahulu FID. Points: A boost for clinical research. BMJ April 1986, page 1081 “If, as I have always thought, the discipline of clinical epidemiology seeks to answer the questions How? Which? When? Who? What? Why? Where? Are we more likely
to get clearer answers in the north to questions relating to the south?” http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1340158&blobtype=pdf

3k Konotey-Ahulu, FID. Kwashiorkor. BMJ 1991, 302(6769): 180-181. Jan 19. (Explaining what this Ghanaian tribal word means) doi:10.1136/bmj.302.6769.180-chttp://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/302/6769/180-c.pdf

3l Konotey-Ahulu, FID. Penicillin prophylaxis in children with sickle cell disease. BMJ 1991; 302(6786): 1205-06. (May 18 1991) doi:10.1136/bmj.302.6786.1205-b (Commenting on paper by Cummins, Heuschkel & Sally Davies – Brit Med J 1991; 302: 989-90.) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/302/6786/1205-b.pdf

3m Konotey-Ahulu, FID. Morphine for painful crises in sickle cell disease. BMJ 1991, 302(6792): 1604. (June 29) doi:10.1136/bmj.302.6792.1604-c http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/302/6792/1604-c.pdf (Comment on Professor Chamberlain’s recommendation of morphine in pregnancy in sickle cell disease – BMJ 1991; 302: 1327-30.)

3n Konotey-Ahulu FID. Website on Sickle Cell Disease Patient www.sicklecell.md and www.konotey-ahulu.com

3o Konotey-Ahulu FID. The Sickle Cell Disease Patient. The Macmillan Press Ltd.,1991 & Reprinted 1992. Republished 1996 by T-AD Co [See 3n below]

3p Konotey-Ahulu FID. The Sickle Cell Disease Patient. TETTEH-A’DOMENO COMPANY 1996, P O Box 189, Watford WD1 7NJ, England. ISBN 0-95- 9515442-2-
5 Foreword by Professor Roland B Scott MD, Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease. [643 pages]

3q Weatherall Professor Sir David FRS MD FRCP FRCPath. Lancet June 29, 1991 Volume 337 page 1590 says “The Sickle Cell Disease Patient” is a fitting tribute to a physician who has done as much as anyone to improve facilities to deal with this condition in Africa.

4a Konotey-Ahulu FID. Dame Sheila Sherlock’s Third World Dimension. BMJ rr 20 Jan 2002 http://www.bmj.com/content/324/7330/174.1.extract.reply#bmj_el_18859

4b Konotey-Ahulu FID. The supra-scientific in clinical medicine: a challenge for Professor Know-All. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/323/7327/1452.pdf Brit Med J 2001; 323(7327):14521453 Dec 22-29 doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7327.1452

4c Fassin Didier, Schneider Helen. The Politics of AIDS in South Africa: beyond the controversies. BMJ 2003; 326: 495 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7387.495 March 1 2003.

4d Konotey-Ahulu FID. Wake-up call and need for paradigm shift. Brit Med Journal 2003 ‘Rapid E-Response’ to Didier Fassin and Helen Schneider’s article opened up for Education and Debate: – The politics of AIDS in South Africa: beyond the controversies. Brit Med J 2003; 326; 495-497 (1 March 2003). [7000 words with 70 references] http://www.rethinking.org/bmj/response_30917.html

5a Horowitz Leonard G. Emerging Viruses: AIDS and Ebola – Nature, Accident or Intentional? Tetrahedron, Inc. Rockport MA, 1998 ISBN: 0-92350-12-7

5b Maharaj Akaash. Desmond Tutu was right. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Report submitted October 28, 1998.

5c Konotey-Ahulu FID. Toxoplasmosis. Ghana Medical Journal 1970; 9: 67-68 (Editorial – 7 references)

5d Konotey-Ahulu FID. Vitamin A in Cholesterol biosynthesis and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (Editorial) Ghana Medical Journal 1972; 11: 3-4.

5e Konotey-Ahulu FID. An International Sickle Cell Crisis. Ghana Medical Journal March 1972; 11: 4-8 (Editorial)

5f Konotey-Ahulu FID. The Tyranny of Fashion in Medical Journals. Ghana Medical Journal [Editorial], 1972; 11: 168-172.

5g Konotey-Ahulu FID. Issues in Kwashiorkor. Lancet 1994 February 26, Volume 343, page 548. [Lancet published picture of Dr Cicely Williams and me in Oxford at Somerville College when I accompanied Ghana High Commissioner His Excellency Annan Cato and Vice Chancellor University of Ghana Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr to confer Honorary DSc on the remarkable lady who first described Kwashiorkor using the Krobo-Dãngme-Gã Tribal word for the malady in the world Medical Journals. Correcting widespread misinformation about what my tribal name Kwashiorkor means I said in this Lancet communication “Kwashiorkor is the result of a social Pathology before it is outcome of a biochemical pathology”. It does not mean red hair!

5h “Mechanism through which Hb S protects against malaria” on pages 94, 95, 96 of Konotey-Ahulu FID The Sickle Cell Disease Patient. The Macmillan Press Ltd.,1991 & Reprinted 1992. Republished 1996 by T-AD Co [See comment on page 94 last paragraph: “One obvious puzzling question is why sickle cell homozygotes do not show the same clinical resistance to falciparum malaria as sickle cell Traits.

5i Konotey-Ahulu FID. The Sickle Cell Diseases: Clinical Manifestations including The Sickle Crisis. Archives Internal Medicine 1974; 133; 611-619. [Comprehensive]

5j Konotey-Ahulu FID. Effect of environment on sickle cell disease Environment in West Africa: epidemiological and clinical considerations. In Sickle Cell Disease. Diagnosis, management, education, and research. Abraham H et al. C V Mosby o, St Louis, pages 20-38.

224 Konotey-Ahulu FID There is nothing mysterious about Kwashiorkor. BMJ 14 May 2005 Rapid Response http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/330/7500/1095#106854

234 Konotey-Ahulu FID Human resources for health in Africa. Is it national or international policies causing the brain drain? BMJ Rapid Response November 7 to Editorial by Adetokunba O Lucas “Health resources for health in Africa” BMJ 2005, 331: 1037-1038 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/331/7524/1037#120815

260 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Doctors must not be lapdogs to drug firms even more relevant in the Third World. BMJ Rapid Resp. November 12 2006 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/333/7576/1027#149040

261 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Refusing to provide a prenatal test for reducing later termination of pregnancy can it ever be ethical? BMJ
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/333/7577/1066#149662 BMJ Rapid Resp. Nov. 20, 2006

262 Konotey-Ahulu FID Recovering lost knowledge of traditional medicine by searching historical herbal texts for potential new drugs. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/333/7582/1314#152179 BMJ Rapid Resp. Dec. 26, 2006

264 Konotey-Ahulu FID My stethoscope’s bell and discovery of a new Parkinsonian physical sign (Kap’s sign) in clinical medicine, BMJ Rapid Response 6 Feb 2007.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/334/7587/253#157649

266 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Dedicated sickle cell centres. BMJ Rapid Response March 20, 2007 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/334/7591/477#

271 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Four bodyguards and the perils of unmasking scientific truths. BMJ 2007; 335: 210-211 July 28, 2007.
.http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/335/7612/210
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/335/7612/210.pdf

272 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Who should best pharmacovigilate in developing countries? 14 September 2007 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/335/7618/462#167455 Rap Resp to Editorial

273 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Opiates for pain in dying patients and in those with sickle cell disease. 11 October 2007 BMJ Rapid Resp. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/335/7622/685#177986

275 Konotey-Ahulu FID Male circumcision and alleged protection from AIDS. BMJ Rapid Response (Dec. 11) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/335/7631/1206#183100

276 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ghana @ 50 UK Health Conference: A special report. Ghanaian Times Dec. 24, 2007, p. 24.

279 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Imported malaria in the UK: Unde venis? & Quo vadis?
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/jul03_2/a135#198874 BMJ Rap Resp 16 July 2008

280 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Current “hit and miss” care provision for sickle cell disease patients in the UK http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/jul11_2/a771#199135 BMJ Rapid Resp. 22 July 2008

283 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Management of sickle cell disease versus management of the sickle cell disease patient. BMJ Rapid Resp.17 September 2008
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/elettrs/337/sep08_1/a1397#202088

284 Konotey-Ahulu FI D. Malaria and sickle cell: “Protection?” Or “No Protection?” – Confusion reigns. BMJ Rapid Response October 13 2008
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/oct01_3/a1875#203067

285 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Vaccination for genital warts to prevent cervical cancer: principles first, please, before details. BMJ Rapid November 12 2008 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/oct23_1/a2186#204534

286 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Affordable Antimalarials: Do international Donors not have conflicting interests? BMJ Rapid Response November 25, 2008 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/nov12_1/a2495#205142

287 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Clinicians facing conflicting recommendations: Use common sense? http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/337/nov28_2/a2530#205677 BMJ Rapid Resp. Dec. 5, 2008.

288 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Home haemodialysis just the thing for Africa’s wealthy patients. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/336/7634/3#186073 BMJ Rapid Response 8 January 2008

291 Konotey-Ahulu FID. But how much does maintenance haemodialysis cost in each country? BMJ Rapid Resp. 31 January 2008 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/336/7634/3#188633

292 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Domiciliary management is the way forward for AIDS management in Africa. [March 4 2008] Comment on “Reduced mortality with home-based HIV treatment in Uganda” Comment – Lancet 2008; 371: 703-705

293 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Do international donors genuinely desire to help solve Africa’s health problems? BMJ Rap Resp. 19 March 2008 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/336/7643/518#192285

294 Konotey-Ahulu FID. The soul is supra-scientific. BMJ Rapid Response 16 May 2008.http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/336/7653/1132#195557

295 Konotey-Ahulu FID. The stethoscope is there for life and will remain for good. http://www.bmj.com./cgi/eletters/336/7653/1134#195928 BMJ Rapid Response May 28, 2008.

296 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Poor care for sickle cell disease patients: This wake-up call is overdue. BMJ Rapid Response May 28, 2008 BMJ 2008; 336: 1152 to Susan Mayor “Enquiry shows poor care for patients with sickle cell disease” on National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) REPORT “SICKLE: A Sickle Crisis? (2008) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/336/7654/1152a#196224 | http://www.info@ncepod.org http://www.ncepod.org

300 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Inquest into diamorphine deaths: Does NCEPOD sickle patients report warrant a similar inquest? http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/mar03_3/b903#210208 BMJ Rapid Response March 7 2009

301 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation as a retrospective mirror for the present Internet Revolution. BMJ Rapid Response March 25, 2009
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/mar18_1/b1080#211184

302 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Fighting Malaria: Isn’t the best approach through Environmental Hygiene and Public Health? http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/apr20_2/b1627#212782 BMJ Rapid Response April 26 2009

303 Konotey-Ahulu FID. British Medical Journal Archive since 1840. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/apr29_1/b1744#213088 BMJ Rapid Response May 2 2009.

304 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Combating malaria: Try public health measures in Africa too. BMJ 2009; 338:b 1971 doi:10.1136/bmj.b1971 (May 20) PMID: 19457959
BMJ Rapid Response 27 June 2009

305 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Human Genetics Commission (HGC) and direct to consumer Genetic Tests, leading to Genetic Counselling. BMJ Rap Resp. May 27, 2009. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/may15_2/b1995#214256

306 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Blow your own trumpet and be thoroughly scriptural.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/june23_3/b2409#215860

307 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Fixed drug eruption with Paracetamol. BMJ Rap resp. to Charles Quartey-Papafio in BMJ 2009; 338: b2582 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/jun30_2/b2582#216215

309 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening for men: Please acknowledge a genetic dimension http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/jun24-_2/b2307#216519 BMJ 10 July 2009

310 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Fixed drug eruptions. More of fixed rug eruptions. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.b2924

311 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Free health care for world’s poorest countries without pre-conditions? BMJ Rapid response Aug 7 [In response to Zosia Kmietowicz http://www.bmj.comcgi/eletters/339/aug05_1/b3177#218219 | http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/aug05_1/b3177 BMJ 2009;339.b3177

313 Konotey-Ahulu FID. UK drug related deaths are still rising: So where is NICE? Sept. 6 2009 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/sep01_1/b3536#219836
BMJ Rapid Response to Susan Mayor on “UK drug related deaths are still rising 2 reports say” .

314 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Doctor cleared of asking nurse to give fatal dose to dying patient: More honest nurses, please 17 Sept. BMJ 2009; 339: b3812
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/sep15_3/b3812#220512

315 Konotey-Ahulu FID. High index of suspicion with timely haemodialysis for hyperkalaemic cardiac arrest. Rapid Resp.5 Nov 2009.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/oct23_1/b4114#224409 .

316 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Does rejecting a particular scientific opinion mean a rejection of science? http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/nov04_1/b4563#224533 Rapid Resp.10 Nov. 2009.

317 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Harold Varmus and The Art of Politics and Science. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/nov17_3/b4848#225563 BMJ Rapid Response 20 November 2009

321 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Are patients with G6PD Deficiency to avoid eating prawns http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/340/feb26_1/c1016#232266

323 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Malaria diagnosis and treatment in Ghana. BMJ Rapid Response 25 March 2010 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/340/mar05_1/c930#233389

324 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Peer review, yes, but good editors must have the last word. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/340/mar15_1/c1409#233845 BMJ Rapid Response April 2 2010

327 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Is modern genetics a blind alley? Not quite so in Europe, but probably yes i Africa http://www.bmj.com/rapid.response/2011/1102/modern-genetics-blind-alley-not-quite-so-europe-probably-yes-africa BMJ Rapid Response 19 May 2010

329 Konotey-Ahulu FID. WHO declares that H1N1 Pandemic is officially over: So do Ghanaians need to be jabbed with the vaccine? BMJ 12 Aug 2010 Rapid Resp.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/341/aug11_c4393#240213

330 Konotey-Ahulu FID. The politics (and economics) of pain relief in the West and Third World. 24 August 2010 BMJ Rapid Response to T Anderson http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/341/aug11_2/c3800#240684 The politics of pain 11 Aug doi: 10.1136/bmj.c3800

331 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Antenatal screening for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassaemia. http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c5132/reply#bmj_el_242914 BMJ Rapid Response Oct 12 2010 [32 references]

332 Konotey-Ahulu FID. President Obama apologises over Guatemala syphilis study: International cooperative research in jeopardy. BMJ Rapid response October 17 2010. [16 references] http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c5494.full/reply#bmj_el_243183

333 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Genius of Nobel Laureate Robert Edwards goes beyond IVF. http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c5533/reply#bmj_el_243005 | www.embryologist.org.uk BMJ Rapid Response Oct 14 2010 [3 references]

334 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Antenatal sickle cell disease haemoglobinopathy screening.
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c5243/reply#bmj_el_243447 BMJ Rapid Respo Oct. 25, 2010

336 Konotey-Ahulu FID. David Geraint James: Great Champion of Overseas Postgraduates. 18 Nov 2010 [Resp. to BMJ 341:doi.1136/bmj.c6400] See Ref 170 on Dame Sheila Sherlock 20 Jan 2002 http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6400.full/reply#bmj_el_244903 | http://www.bmj.com/content/324/7330/174.1.extract.reply#bmj_el_18859

337 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ethics of mitochondrial gene replacement is also ethics of acquired genetic inheritance. BMJ Rapid Response 19 November 2010
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6021/full/reply#bmj_el_244910

339 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Music (and Tonal Language) and the art of being human http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6965.full/reply#bmj_el_246612 BMJ Rapid Response Dec 20.

340 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Music (and Tonal Language) and the art of being human II. http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6965.full/reply#bmj_el_246615 BMJ Rapid Response Dec 20.

341 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Music (and Tonal Language) and the art of being human III. http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6965.full/reply#bmj_el_246618. BMJ Rapid Response Dec 20.

342 “New appointment of evangelical Christian to drug advisory body sparks controversy” Please spare us emotive headlines BMJ Rapid Response 6 February 2011 http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d624/reply#bmj_el_249481

343 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Facebook and Twitter in bid to create African Scientific Revolution “mizraimically” BMJ paid Response 5 March 2011
.http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d948/reply#bmj_el_251007

344 Konotey-Ahulu FID Only fruitcakes believe in GOD? http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2642/reply#bmj._el_260425
[See Correction in Reference 301] BMJ Raid Response 11 May 2011.

345 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Only fruitcakes believe in in GOD? Correction of inverted inheritance of solomonic genius. BMJ Rapid Response 12 May2011. [See Reference 300] http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2642/reply#bmj_el_260496 BMJ Rapid Response 12 May2011. [See Reference 300]

346 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Is talking about God to be banned from clinical care? http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d3275/reply#bmj_el_261475 BMJ Rapid Resp. 2 June 2011.

353 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Epistaxis from sickle cell disease must not be forgotten www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1097/rr/576087 BMJ Rapid Response 28 March 2012

356 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Should clinicians edit Wikipedia to engage a wider world web? At least two examples of inaccuracy dictate caution BMJ 14 August 2012 Rapid Response www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4275/rr/598116

357 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Management of an acute painful sickle cell episode in hospital: NICE guidance is frightening1 Sept 7, 2012. www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e4063/rr/599158 [42 references]

358 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Almost a quarter of Royal College Fellows say their hospitals cannot deliver continuity care. And they boast of something called National Institute of Clinical Excellence? www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4942/rr/601191 September 7, 2012 BMJ Rapid Response.

360 Konotey-Ahulu FID Bring back good quality paper in the print BMJ www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e6396/rr/610395 BMJ Rapid Response 23 October 2012

361 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism. www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f767/rr/633072 BMJ Rapid Response 26 Feb 2013

362 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Liverpool care pathway BMJ and Channel Four News: Majority expert choice does not mean best choice March 8 2013 BMJ Rapid Response to “Nine out of 10 palliative care experts would choose Liverpool care pathway for themselves” Krishna Chinthapalli BMJ 2013; 346: 1103 (March 2, pages 2-3) www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1303/rr/634971

364 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Importance of history in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1692 March 19 BMJ 2013; 366: F1692

365 Most religious followers support assisted suicide for the dying: Survey flawed through inadequate definition of “religious” and “terminally ill”. BMJ Rapid Response May 12 2013 www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2855/rr/645095 – to Zosia Kmietowicz BMJ News www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f28555?sso 11 May: Most religious followers support assisted suicide for the dying.

367 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Opiods for chronic non-cancer pain – Chemotherapy – Clinical Guidelines: Where does ultimate responsibility lie? www.bmj.com/content/ 346/bmj.f2937/rr/651421 BMJ Rapid Response 25 June 2013

368 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Opiods in the UK: What’s the problem? Answer – Good Clinical Practice needs to cover all population groups including sickle cell disease patients. www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.15108/rr/658208 BMJ Rapid Response 18 August 2013

370 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Acute osteomyelitis in African children unmasks sickle cell disease with salmonellosis http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g66/rapid-responses BMJ Rapid Response Feb. 1, 2014

371 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Erectile Dysfunction: Test, please, for Sickle Cell Disease. http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g129/rapid-responses Rapid Response to BMJ 2014; 348: g129 February 1,3 2014

374 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Management of sickle cell disease patient I the community BMJ Rapid Response 13 April 2014 [90 References] to Brousse V, Makali J, Rees DC: Management of sickle cell disease in the community. BMJ 2014; 348: g1765 doi:10.1136/bmj.g1765 http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g1765/rr/694233

378 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Perthes’ disease versus sickle cell disease hip. BMJ Rapid Response www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5584/rr or http://bit.ly/1tGmuYm (18 Oct ) to Perthes’ disease by Peter Kannu & Andrew Howard, Brit Med Journal Oct 4 2014 Vol 349 pages 32-33.

384 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ebola and Ethics: “Are vaccine trials going on somewhere in Africa?”. http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h2105/rr-5 BMJ Rapid Response 02 June 20

385 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ebola and Ethics: Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Ghana Government Suspend Ebola Virus Vaccine Trials. BMJ Rapid Response 14 June 2015 http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h2105/rr-7

386 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Ebola viewed through HIV/AIDS spectacles – What Africans think. BMJ Rapid Response. August 7 2015 www.bmj.com/351/bmj.h4142/rr-0 to Zosia Kmietowicz: Ebola vaccine trial results “extremely promising” says WHO. BMJ 351: h4192 July 31, 2015.

387 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Scientists call for moratorium on clinical use of human germline editing: A déjà vu of Ethical Caveat! www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6603/rr-0 Rapid Response 16 Dec 2015 to Dr Michael McCarthy’s “Scientists call for moratorium on clinical use of human germline editing”. BMJ 2015; 351:h6603 http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6603/rr-0

388 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Hip pain and radiographic signs of osteoarthritis: Sickle cell & other haemoglobinopathy differential diagnosis. British Medical Journal Rapid Response 8 January 2016 http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h5983/rr-2 to MJ Nieuwenjse and Rob G Nelissen BMJ 2015; 351 doI: http://dx.doI.org/10.1136/bmj.h5983 http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h5983/rr-2 (Published 2 December 2015)

391 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Will Home Office VISA Refusal Prompt West African Relatives To Vote Brexit? http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i3027/rapid-responses Rapid Response 10 June 2016

392 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Home Office VISA Refusal Prompt West African Relatives to Vote Brexit? Full Apology Now Received from Home Office. Rapid Responses June 22 2016 http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i3027/rapid-responses

393 Konotey-Ahulu FID. BREXIT: DEMOCRACY IS COUNTING HEADS REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE HEADS CONTAIN. http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i3551/rr-6 Rapid Responses June 30 2016

399 Konotey-Ahulu FID. The God Delusion title devalues sensible discourse. BMJ Rapid Response 19 October 2016.http://www.bmj.com/content/335/7629/1099.1/rr-0

401 Konotey-Ahulu FID International Medical Graduates and quality of care: What if quality of care in developing country is better than UK’s? BMJ Rapid Response March 1 in response to “International medical graduates and quality of care” by Aneez Esmail, Julian Simpson. 356:doi10.1136/bmj.j574 http://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.j574/rr-0

403 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Should we abandon routine blood tests? No, not when hereditary erythrocytopathy poses a real problem in a so-called multiracial population! BMJ Rapid Response to Alastair Faulkner et al and K. Siau on “Should we abandon routine blood tests?” No, do Abnormal Haemoglobin and G6PD tests routinely http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2091/rr-15

404 Konotey-Ahulu FID. BMA AGM 2017 on Abortion – A damning verdict on my genetic defect and family members’ BMJ Rapid Response 30 June 2017 to Abi Rimmer and Rebecca Coombes on “BMA annual meeting: Doctors who carry out abortions should not face criminal sanctions, says BMA” 28 June 2017 BMJ 2017; 357: j1136 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j3116 | www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j3116/rr June 28

406 Konotey-Ahulu FID. MEDICINES AND HARMS: Could international Fraud Unearthed In Ghana Be Happening Elsewhere? BMJ Rapid Resp 20 June 2017
www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j3129/rapid-responses

408 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Genetic Testing and Counselling Towards Genetic Public Health. BMJ 2017;358:j4101 Dec 21 http:www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4101/rr-0
Rapid Response to Allison Streetly 28 Sept 2017 A common definition on genetic testing – can we agree on one? Re: PRACTICE article by C Semsarian & J Ingles 21 September 2017 .http:www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4101/rr-0

409 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Personal Answer to The Question “Do you believe in God?” [48 References] BMJ Rapid Response to Savros Saripanidis “Do you believe in God?” Re: Kevin Barraclough “Do you believe in God? BMJ 319; doi.10.1136/bmj.7214.929a http://www.bmj.com/content/319/7214/929.2/rr-0
http://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j4669/rapid

410 Konotey-Ahulu FID. There but for the grace of God …– Fiona Godlee’s Sanctified Common Sense [FGSCS] Rapid Response to There but for the grace of God F Godlee BMJ 2018; 360:k485 http://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k485/rr

411 Konotey-Ahulu FID. “So You Know Where I am coming from (SYKWIACF”) Prefaces My Religious Belief Competing Interest. June 1 2018 BMJ Rapid Response https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1558/rr-4

418 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Aviation Safety: Ghanaians recall media disinformation deriving from scientific misinformation, BMJ Rapid Resp. https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l735/rr-7 Mar 1 2019 to Partha Kar: Applying aviation safety to healthcare; are we missing the fundamental? Partha Kar 364:doi10.1136/bmj.l735

421 Konotey-Ahulu FID. Avascular Hip Necrosis: Sickle Haemoglobinopathy predominates worldwide. BMJ Rapid Response to Lamb JN et al 1 June 2019 Avascular necrosis of the hip BMJ 1 June Vol 365, p 325 (BMJ 2019; 365:l2178) https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2178/

423 Konotey-Ahulu FID. EVIDENCE – Do not forget the hidden human dimension. BMJ 07 August 2019 Re: Holger Schunermann et al Distinguishing opinion from evidence in guidelines. BMJ 2019;366:L4606 July 19 2019 BMJ 2019; 366 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l4606 https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4606/rr-11 |

424 Konotey-Ahulu FID. How-When-Where Does Common Sense Scream “The Transgenderism Emperor Has No Clothes”? British Medical Journal 18 October 2019 Re: Deborah Cohen and Hannah Barnes. Gender dysphoria in children: puberty blockers study draws further criticism. BMJ 2019; 366:l5647 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l5647https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5647/rr-5

424a Cohen Deborah, Barnes Hannah. Gender Dysphoria in children puberty blockers study draws further criticism. BMJ 2019; 366: L5647 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l5647

427 Konotey-Ahulu FID. COVID-19: Treatment with CLOROQUINE or Intravenous Vitamin C Requires Prior Exclusion of G6PD Deficiency! April 8 2020. Re: Ferner Robin E, Aronson Jeffrey K. Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in Covid-19. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1432 .https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1432/rr-21 BMJ 2020; 369.m1432 April 8 2020.

428 Ayettey AS, Quakyi Isabella, Ayettey-Annie Hannah NG, Sagoe Kwamena W, Ayettey-Adamafio Mary NB, Newman-Nartey Merley, Ayettey Brew Ruth NA, Nartey Nii-Out, Amoah Albert GB, Konotey-Ahulu FID. COVID-19: A Case for Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash and Gargle to limit SARS-CoV-2 Infection. BMJ July 2 2020 BMJ 2020; 368: m1252 : Re: What Treatments are being investigated? Elisabeth Mahase https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m1252/rr-27 BMJ 2020; 368.m1252 March 26, 2020.

429 Konotey-Ahulu FID. COVID-19: “Few can doubt we need a covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible ..” Really? 22 August Re: Fiona Godlee, EDITORIAL. 22-29 August Vol. 370. Less haste, more safety. BMJ 2020; 370.3258 Konotey-Ahulu FID https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3258/rr-2

432 Konotey-Ahulu FID..COVID-19: “WHAT WE EAT MATTERS ALL THE MORE NOW” SHOULD ANTICIPATE OTHER NON-VACCINE ADVICE. Re: Fiona Godlee. EDITORIAL. What we eat matters all the more now. BMJ 2020; bmj.m370 December 1, 2020. https://www.bmj.com/contact/370/bmj.m2840/rr-5 .

September 14, 2018September 14, 2018

UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE (CHANCELLOR LORD SALISBURY) HONOURS PROFESSOR FELIX KONOTEY-AHULU

September 5th 2018 at St Albans Cathedral

*Prof. Felix Konotey‐Ahulu, Lord Salisbury*

https://youtu.be/41a1FZSpHd4

CITATION HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF SCIENCE (DSc)

Chancellor, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to read the citation for the presentation of the honorary award of Doctor of Science on Professor Felix Konotey-Ahulu.

Science is, in essence, a search for the truth. It is this search for truth that has driven Felix to make very significant discoveries in the area of sickle cell disease. As a scientist, he is not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom if it conflicts with his own discoveries. But this has landed him in hot water at times, not least when he was assigned no fewer than four bodyguards when he was the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr Foundation’s award banquet in Philadelphia 1972!* His pointing out the vital distinction between sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease was going to have huge implications for insurance companies, and the organisers were more than a little concerned for his safety.

Felix’s research in the area of sickle cell disease has been groundbreaking. He is the only known scientist to have traced hereditary disease in his own family all the way back to 1670 AD. Having grown up in a family where sickle cell disease was present, his knowledge of the disease even before he went to medical school in the UK was significant. His parents had sickle cell trait, which resulted in his siblings having the disease, although he himself has neither.
Felix’s personal experience and observations therefore qualified him well to question conventional thinking about the causes of sickle cell trait, and seeing the pain and struggles of his siblings has greatly informed the way he views people with the condition. The sickle cell clinic in Ghana of which he was the
Director, at the Korle Bu Hospital, was the largest in the world. In addition, he established the Konotey-Ahulu Genetic Epidemiology Sickle Cell Foundation in 2011 to provide counselling for sufferers, as well as education and research.
The importance of asking questions is something Felix has always been very keen to pass on to his own students – encouraging them to learn ‘how to think’ rather than simply learning ‘what to think’ in order to pass exams. This ties in with his passion for medical ethics, particularly in the area of genetics. Indeed, one of his caveats is, ‘Medicine without ethics is dangerous!’

Although this honorary doctorate is being awarded for Felix’s involvement in the area of sickle cell disease, he has contributed significantly to other areas of work, including AIDS research, medical ethics and tonal linguistics. He has been very widely published, and a number of his articles have become the definitive studies in their field.

Felix has also authored two books. Of the first, What is AIDS?, Professor Maya Angelou said that it is ‘Compulsive reading. I could not put it down.’ His second, The Sickle Cell Disease Patient, has been described as ‘a commendable addition to the medical literature’.

The contribution of Felix has been publicly acknowledged many times, among which was inclusion in a list of ‘The 100 Greatest Africans of All Time’. In this list he keeps esteemed company, with names such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Kofi Annan. Among many other distinguished awards, he has received the Dr Martin Luther King Junior Foundation Award for outstanding research in sickle cell anaemia, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia Humanitarian Award in 2007, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the people of Africa and to the world.

Felix says that he has a soft spot for St Albans, as his second job after qualifying as a doctor at London University’s Westminster Hospital School of Medicine was as house surgeon in 1960 to three eminent surgeons at St Albans City Hospital. He remembers this fondly as a most memorable period in his career. Twenty years later, the hospital was privileged to count Felix as a locum physician in medicine for the elderly in the 1980s. He is now resident in Hertfordshire.

And Felix has a very diverse range of other talents too. If you have a moment, do search the internet for the millennium hymn he wrote – it’s called ‘Time was Created’ and available on YouTube, and is well worth a listen!
Chancellor, in recognition of outstanding achievement I ask that you confer the honorary award of Doctor of Science upon Professor Felix Konotey-Ahulu.

*See British Medical Journal 2007, July 28 Volume 335, page 210
“Four bodyguards and the perils of unmasking scientific truths” by F I D Konotey-Ahulu http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/335/7612/210

UH Hon. DSc Acceptance Speech Sept. 5 @ St Albans Cathedral

Lord Salisbury, Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, Lord Ribeiro of Achimota and Ovington and Past President of the Royal College of Surgeons, Graduates, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen! Hearty Congratulations to those who studied Allied Health Professions including Midwifery and have emerged so successful. Very Well Done! I sincerely wish you well for your future endeavours.

Regarding myself, ever since I got the letter of the Vice-Chancellor inviting me to receive an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree one word has been uppermost in my head – and that word is GRATITUDE. Allow me explain: Exactly one week after leaving Achimota School on completing my Cambridge School Certificate Exams in the Gold Coast (Ghana) my brother Jerry and I were struck by lightning on the football field. He was killed instantly. I was spared, with just a facial burn. Jerry was 17 years of age, I was 19. Why Jerry? And not me? I will never know the answer to that question, but one thing I do know, GOD Almighty has His hand on me. And my gratitude to HIM knows no bounds.

Three and half years after the lightning bolt I did the 12 days’ voyage by Boat (Elder Dempster Lines) to England to study Medicine. Can you believe that I was taught by the best of the best? At London University’s Westminster Hospital School of Medicine Clinicians of Royalty were my teachers notably Sir Richard Bayliss who became Physician of Her Majesty the Queen. Any bedside manners I possess I was taught by Sir Richard. You had better have bedside manners with the Head of the Commonwealth. My first job as a doctor was in London at Bethnal Green Hospital. Walking into Ward B3South I introduced myself to the nurse. “Hello, I am the new doctor, Felix”. Quick came the response “Hello. I am Sister Moss”. “So, what can I call you?” I asked hopefully. “You can call me Sister Moss” she replied. Actually, her name was Rosemary. I remember that Monday morning June 15 1959 as if it was yesterday because on Easter Monday 23^rd April 1962 Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones married Felix and Rosemary Moss at Westminster Chapel. She is a staunch believer in The Lord Jesus Christ. We have 3 children, 11 grandchildren, and 2 great grand-children. Just Google “Felix and Rosemary” and you’ll see our 50^th Wedding Anniversary 2012 clip. Darling I thank GOD for you! You are just as beautiful today as when I cast eyes on you 59 years 3 months ago. I don’t know how I could have achieved what I have done without you.

GRATITUDE: I stress this again as I end. I owe so much to more people than I have time to mention; people who made sacrifices for me like Professor Hermann Lehmann (Cambridge University), Professor Bela Ringelhann the Hungarian, Dr Kobla Gbedemah (Ghanaian Laboratory Expert) – men who have been long dead but whom I shall never forget. Also, Institutions that put their weight behind me like Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board, Ghana’s Managing Trustees of The VALCO Fund, and University of Cape Coast in Ghana.

Dear Graduates, when you see someone struggling in life and you reach down and lift them up, and you tell them “I will help carry your load”, you have an impact beyond anything you can imagine. One big thing I learnt coming to England in the early 1950s was that every privilege carried a responsibility. Never forget, Ladies and Gentlemen, that you have had privileges in life. Please, please, learn to help those less privileged than you. If I have achieved anything it is because I have been enabled by others to stand on the shoulders of giants. It has been a privilege to share this occasion with you. Lord Salisbury, I thank University of Hertfordshire for this honour done me. And I thank GOD Almighty in whose hands my very breath is for longevity.

*Lord Salisbury, Prof. Felix Konotey‐Ahulu, Lord Ribeiro*

November 30, 2017

Facebook Enquirer November 2017

Look at www.sicklecell.md for correct terms.

What do you mean by sicklecell?
Sickle Cell Trait (Normal gene + Abnormal gene)? Or do you mean sickle cell disease (Abnormal gene + Abnormal gene)?
To simplify things, I call Normal gene NORM and Abnormal gene ACHE because it takes 2 Abnormal genes (ACHEACHE) to make someone ache with the pain of sickle cell crisis. So, sickle cell trait is NORMACHE.

On my www.sicklecell.md Home Page you will see the kanad I invented to explain what happened when my Trait father NORMACHE married my Trait mother NORMACHE. They had 11 children of whom 3 had ACHEACHE, suffering sickle cell disease. Four of us were NORMACHE like our parents (no problems) and 4 also had no problems with NORMNORM.

It is important that readers of this Facebook each find out what Haemoglobin genes have been inherited from their parents. If, like my 3 siblings, any has inherited abnormal (ACHE) haemoglobin gene from each parent then there is no NORM gene to protect from body ache under certain circumstances. I never advise a person with ACHE Haemoglobin gene not to marry someone else, remembering that my parents would have been advised not to marry as some American States are keen to legislate.

Study the kanad video, and come to your own decision. People with sickle cell disease (ACHEACHE) have inherited some brilliant genes from their parents, like beauty, elegance, brains, and become ACHIEVERS in life as we have seen in Ghana. Visit my website, and take time with my Genetic Counselling and Voluntary Family Size Limitation (GCVFSL) http://bit.ly/1w3BuvM
Please get back to me if you can’t access it.

Finally, Sickle (S) is not the only aching gene we can be born with. The second commonest abnormal Haemoglobin aching gene is “C”. Test for “S” alone (Sickle Cell Test) is not enough. I always test for other genes, not just for Sickle Cell Trait. You can be Sickle Test Negative (that is No “S”) and yet be “C” Positive, enabling you and your Sickle-Positive-“S” spouse to have a child who has two aching genes “S” + “C” to produce Hereditary Rheumatism (Sickle Cell Disease), never ever to be called “SC Trait”, but only to be known as “SC Disease”. Sickle Cell Trait is “AS”, never “SC”.

I was born surrounded by both so I know the difference. Note that Sickle Cell Disease ‘SS’ is the only phenotype known as Sickle Cell Anaemia. These terms which are not “Konotey-Ahulu terms”; but from WHO which does not recognise the term “Sickle Cell Anaemia Disease”. If you have ‘S’ from both parents you have “Sickle Cell Anaemia” (SS). If you prefer to say you have “Sickle Cell Disease” then you need to add the phenotype and say “I have Sickle Cell Disease (SS)”. If a lady has Sickle Cell Disease (SC) and develops severe anaemia from heavy periods doctors are not entitled to say she has Sickle Cell Anaemia. She is still “SC” and not “SS”. She has Sickle Cell Disease (SC) with Anaemia, but not “Sickle Cell Anaemia Disease”. [Please read this again!].

Be the one to teach your doctors if they are confused about these terms. I once mentioned how I referred a lady to have her gall stones removed by a world class Surgeon to whom I wrote this: “Please help this Sickle Cell Anaemia (SS) lady”. Less than one hour later in the same hospital he said he called and said to me: “Thank you Felix for sending me that delightful Sickle Cell Trait lady”. So even world-class Specialists don’t know WHO definitions of who has Trait (1 Normal Haemoglobin gene) and who has Disease (No Normal Haemoglobin gene).

TERMS EXPLAINED:

Sickle Cell Trait (1 Normal Gene A+1 Abnormal Gene ‘S’) I call NORMACHE which never gives Hereditary Aches. For Sickle Cell Disease (1 Abnormal Gene ‘S’+any Abnormal Gene ‘S’ or ‘Other’) I prefer ACHEACHE as S+S, S+C, S+D, S+K, S+Korle Bu, S+Osu Christiansborg, S+FPersistence, S+O, S+Kwahu, are all aching Sickle Cell Diseases. It takes 2 ACHES to cause ache.

NOTE CAREFULLY: Normal Haemoglobin ‘A’+Abnormal ‘S’ is Sickle Cell Trait (AS). Normal ‘A’+ Abnormal ‘C’ is Sickling Negative Haemoglobin C Trait (AC).

Haemoglobin gene ‘A’ is NOT to be confused with BLOOD GROUP ‘A’. These 2 genes labelled “A” have nothing to do with each other. To check for Abnormal Haemoglobins ask for “Haemoglobin Type”, not Blood Group.

November 24, 2017December 8, 2017

Sickle Cell Trait and Sickle Cell Disease

On Facebook 15th November 2017 responding to something on a site which described itself as “Sickle Cell Anemia Disease”, I wrote this:

“Please get your correct definitions of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait from www.sicklecell.md Let no one deceive you re sickle cell trait. Study and learn”

I then got this message: “You know I have heard from people with sickle cell trait get pain once a year or something it’s not serious but I hear they still can have symptoms I mean it is blood line you know”.

Visiting www.sicklecell.md proved to some doctors that sickle cell disease has often been wrongly called sickle cell trait, and vice versa, with serious consequences.

“Pain once a year” is no proof of sickle cell trait. Millions of people around the world who do not have sickle cell trait have pains more than once a week!

Doctors writing SCT for sickle cell trait imply that “SC” is a Trait, which is wrong because “SC” is 2 Abnormal Haemoglobins – a disease phenotype. The Trait must have NORMAL Haemoglobin A plus S, and the “A” fraction must always be greater than the “S”. Sickle Cell Trait is written “AS Trait”, not SCT. If Electrophoresis shows “AS” (1 Normal gene A greater than S) and the person has symptoms like sickle cell disease then the person may well have Sickle Cell Quebec-Chori disease, with Hb Chori behaving like “A”. See [Konotey-Ahulu FID. Lancet February 29, 1992, page 555 http://bit.ly/2d18oOL

Beware of symptomatic sickle cell traits. Lancet, February 29, 1992, page 555.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PII0140-6736(92)90377-F/fulltext]

August 15, 2017

Good evening Prof: Should I marry this person?

Question: Good Evening Prof, A lady friend of mine is with SC since birth and she loves this guy who is AS. Should she go on with the marriage even though there is a 50% chance of having sickly children?

ANSWER:
Dear C.M., It is not my normal habit to advise who should marry whom, but as you can see from the kanad pictured above with male phenotypes on one side, and female on the other your friend is “SC” (abnormal Haemoglobin ACHE ‘S’ gene from one of her parents, and abnormal Haemoglobin ACHE ‘C’ gene from the other parent, making her ache with sickle cell crisis at certain times.

As you observed, when the dice ACHEACHE on one side is thrown against the dice NORMACHE on the other the probability for each throw of the dice is 1 in 2 (50%) for ACHEACHE to show because the man will show NORM or ACHE with each throw. The sequence is unpredictable because the man may show NORM (‘A’) several times or ACHE (‘S’) several times. Moreover, depending on whether the lady’s ACHE is an egg carrying ACHE ‘S’ or egg with ACHE ‘C’ the children of this union may be ‘AC’ NORMACHE, (‘A’ from the man, ‘C’ from the lady, ‘AS’ NORMACHE like your lady friend’s man, ‘SS’ ACHEACHE, or ‘SC’ ACHEACHE like your lady friend. Please read this statement again until you can explain it to your lady friend. Now, my book “The Sickle Cell Disease Patient” describes exactly such a situation where a Staff Nurse “SC” asked me whether she should go ahead and marry her lover “AS”. After explaining to her just as I have done here, she said to me: “Doctor, I am a nurse and I can care for him when he is unwell. Moreover you have told your patients how to keep out of sickle cell crisis so even if we have “SS” or “SC” children we can cope.” Remember that my kanad shown above (Konotey-Ahulu Norm Ache Dice) has two main functions:

They show you (i) What Could Happen ie PROBABILITY, and what is more important (ii) PREDICTABILITY ie What Will Happen.

If someone tells me: “Doc, I have suffered too much with this hereditary ailment. I do not want any child of mine to suffer like I am doing. Show me the phenotype that I can marry so that even though I have ACHEACHE my children will never have ACHEACHE”. Well, simple: Pick the dice marked NORMNORM and it is impossible to have an ACHEACHE child. But remember that some ACHEACHE people are brighter, more beautiful, and more focussed than their siblings who do not ache. The first option is Genetic Gambling. The second option is Predicting Genetic Certainty.

But here is a beautiful true story: One of my brilliant ACHEACHE “SS” ACHIEVERS fell in love with a NORMACHE “AS” (Sickle Cell Trait) lady. They decided to go ahead and get married hoping that the first child will be from the NORM egg of the lady, and his ACHE sperm, then they will stop, and adopt their second child. Well Mr H.S. engaged this lady, married her, and they had a son, lovely son with all the elegance of the father and the combined genius of both of them, NORMACHE “AS” Sickle Cell Trait. The couple went on to adopt a daughter.

So my duty is to show the difference between Genetic Gambling (Probability), and Genetic Prediction with 100 per cent certainty. If ACHEACHE marries ACHEACHE all the children will be ACHEACHE as shown on the cover of my blue book:

See my website www.sicklecell.md Those who choose Genetic Gambling because they are madly in love should know what could happen. They will limit their family size as Mr H. S. and his wife have done.

August 11, 2017August 14, 2017

Sickle Cell Trait Confusion: Is It Deliberate? Or Is This Ignorance?

I speak with authority as one who was born into a Sickle Cell Disease home within a Sickle Cell Trait country. One in every 5 of us in southern Ghana including nurses, doctors, business men and women, judges, liars, thieves, university professors, Parliamentarians, athletes, crooks, footballers, Olympic Medallists, and boxers has the Sickle Cell Trait.

In Northern Nigeria with a population of 90 million there are 30 Million Sickle Cell Traits. One in every three babies born there in Kano, Sokoto, Maedeguru is Sickle Cell Trait. And in Accra where I worked at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital every 1 in 5 babies of the 13000 consecutive deliveries we tested in 12 months had Sickle Cell Trait.

What is more, 1 in every 3 of the white people in Greece where Lake Kopais used to be is Sickle Cell Trait! And now, lo and behold, “In Fontana August is Sickle Cell Trait Prevention Month”. Are they serious in suggesting Sickle Cell Trait needs preventing? Making 1 in 5 of us Ghanaians feel guilty for being born because we are Sickle Cell Trait? Even Sickle Cell Disease Patients need not feel guilty because they often have brilliant genes that their siblings do not possess.

Seriously, believe me, there are two kinds of readers of this Facebook post:

(1) Those who want to learn from me whom Nobel Laureate Professor Linus Pauling listened to when I delivered the Martin Luther King Award Lecture in Philadelphia on the Topic “The Vital Difference Between Sickle Cell Trait and Sickle Cell Disease”, and

(2) Those who prefer what Fontana teaches on Sickle Cell Trait.

For those who have time for me, please set time aside and study the following articles very, very, very carefully:

SICKLE CELL TRAIT

Blaming sudden death on Sickle Cell Trait? http://bit.ly/1Eutn19
Sickle Cell Trait Misinformation and Disinformation http://bit.ly/1CqYHib
Further Communication on Sickle Cell Trait Misinformation and Disinformation and Sickle Cell Terminology: Disease or Disorder? http://bit.ly/1Gm4gNP
World Sickle Cell Day 19h June 2014 http://bit.ly/1FuNXPi
Beware of symptomatic sickle cell traits. Lancet, February 29, 1992, page 555. http://bit.ly/2d18oOL
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PII0140-6736(92)90377-F/fulltext
Dangerously flawed diagnosis of sickle cell trait in compartment syndrome rhabdomyolysis http://bit.ly/2d4t9Zd
http://www.sicklecell.md/blog/index.php/2016/09/dangerously-flawed-diagnosis-of-sickle-cell-trait-in-compartment-syndrome-rhabdomyolysis-article/
Sickle Cell Trait: As with statins when leading editors disagree please give principles same weight as details/
http://www.sicklecell.md/blog/index.php/2016/09/statins-when-leading-editors-disagree-please-give-principles-same-weight-as-details/
http://bit.ly/2dy5fUJ
http://bit.ly/2bRQ7B1 Tafracher BMJ 8^th June 1975

This Ghanaian word Tafracher allows me to call a spade a spade, as it were. [It allows me to say articles describing Sickle Cell Trait as Sickle Cell Disease are (Tafracher) rubbish for how can a Sickle Cell Trait man run at 7000 ft at Olympic Games and beat the whole world with a disease?]

If you absorb all this information you can help your colleagues and even your doctors in saying exactly what Sickle Cell Trait is, and what it is not.

Felix Konotey-Ahulu FGA MD(Lond) FRCP(Lond) FRCP(Glasg) DTMH FGCP FWACP FTWAS Kwegyir Aggrey Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics, University Cape Coast Ghana, & Former Consultant Physician Genetic Counsellor Sickle Cell & Other Haemoglobinopathies, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra Ghana, and 9 Harley Street London W1G 9AL [ www.sicklecell.md ] Twitter Felix@profkonoteyahul

Further BMJ Links especially for doctors, nurses & science graduates.

Overseas Med. Graduates bmj.com/content/356/bmj.j574/rr-0
Routine Tests not to be abandoned bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2091/rr-15
BMA AGM 2017 On Abortion bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j3116/rr

Finally, Sickle (S) is not the only aching gene we can be born with. The second commonest abnormal Haemoglobin aching gene is “C”. Test for “S” alone (Sickle Cell Test) is not enough. I always test for other genes, not just for Sickle Cell Trait. You can be Sickle Test Negative (that is No “S”) and yet be “C” Positive, enabling you and your Sickle-Positive-”S” spouse to have a child who has two aching genes “S” + “C” to produce Hereditary Rheumatism (Sickle Cell Disease), never ever to be called “SC Trait”, but only to be known as “SC Disease”. Sickle Cell Trait is “AS”, never “SC”. I was born surrounded by both. I know the difference.

August 10, 2017

World Sicklecell Disease Patient Week – Videos

After a successful week of videos in July I have put them all together in one post for you to view.

Introduction
There is such an event called “World Sickle Cell Day” which falls in mid-June every year.

For me who had two brothers and one sister (Victor Agbetey, Jerry Tei and Sussie Konotey-Ahulu) with hereditary cold-season rheumatism or hemikom as this has always been known in my Krobo Tribe in Ghana as the name for Sickle Cell Disease – one day in a year is not enough attention given to a very important problem.

Day 1
Professor Konotey-Ahulu explains the reasons behind the Sicklecell Disease Patient Week and a bit about his history.

Day 2
Professor Konotey-Ahulu interviews an achiever of over 50 years old.

Day 3
Professor Konotey-Ahulu talks about the various African tribes which have various names for the Sicklecell disease. He also explains the difference between trait and the disease.

Day 4
Professor Konotey-Ahulu gives a round up of the videos published and a bit more history on what he found during his career.

Day 5
Professor Konotey-Ahulu continues to talk to an achiever on how he stopped the disease from taking over his life and reduced crises periods.

Day 6
Professor Konotey-Ahulu explains his dice (KANAD) and how it can help explain how people get the disease.

Day 7
An achiever Akosua M Dankwa talks about the Sicklecell Disease and how it has affected her life.

Books
The Sickle Disease Patient book is now on sale at a 50% discount. The book can now be purchased here http://blog.sicklecell.md/shop/ FREE KANAD dice with each purchase whilst stock lasts.