Nigeria, Ghana, others get support to boost sickle cell disease care
Novo Nordisk and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have launched a three-year partnership to support the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker (CHW) Initiative across seven sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. ASH president, Dr Belinda R. Avalos, in a statement yesterday, noted that […]
Novo Nordisk and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have launched a three-year partnership to support the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker (CHW) Initiative across seven sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
ASH president, Dr Belinda R. Avalos, in a statement yesterday, noted that the collaboration aimed to demonstrate how training community health workers in sickle cell disease (SCD) diagnosis, education and care coordination could improve patient outcomes, especially in remote communities.
She stated that the initiative was designed to reduce health inequities, increase care retention and help children with SCD live longer and healthier lives.
“SCD remains a major public health challenge in the region, with over 75 per cent of global sickle cell births occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Since its launch in 2018, CONSA has screened over 140,000 newborns for the disease. However, challenges such as poor follow-up care, lack of awareness, stigma and long distances to health care centres continue to hinder effective treatment.
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“Too many children and families in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to necessary sickle cell disease care. This initiative allows us to build on ASH’s newborn screening efforts by improving access to consistent care, providing education and empowering families with trusted health care professionals.
“We are excited to partner with Novo Nordisk, an organisation committed to advancing sickle cell care in underserved communities,” Avalos said.
To overcome care barriers, she said the partnership would engage with local and national governments, expand follow-up services, promote early intervention and drive equity in health care access.
Novo Nordisk is also partnering with reach52, a social enterprise that operates a digital network of health workers to run SCD awareness campaigns in three Kenyan counties -Siaya, Homabay and Kisumu. These campaigns aim to encourage health-seeking behaviour and reduce stigma around the disease.
The initiative will start with the training of five CHWs in each of the 11 CONSA clinical catchment areas across the participating countries. These workers will receive two annual grants to support key activities. In the second and third years, Nurse Coordinator CHW summits will promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing across borders.
Vinay Ransiwal, Novo Nordisk’s general manager for Middle Africa, highlighted the importance of supporting local health care providers in the fight against SCD.
“With over 515,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in sub-Saharan Africa and a global shortage of primary care providers, it is crucial to empower nurses and community health workers to close the care gap.”
“As part of our sustainable iCARE strategy, we are dedicated to working closely with the SCD community to enhance care access and build the capacity needed to improve both short and long-term health outcomes,” Ransiwal said.
This joint initiative forms part of Novo Nordisk’s broader commitment to strengthening comprehensive care for sickle cell disease, empowering local health care professionals and advancing health outcomes for affected communities across Africa.
About sickle cell disease
Sickle cell disease is a debilitating, life-threatening group of inherited blood disorders caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. This mutation causes red blood cells to become stiff and shaped like a crescent or “sickle,” which can obstruct blood flow, leading to pain, anemia, fatigue and organ damage. Globally, nearly 8 million people are living with the disease.