Improving healthcare and social services for those with sickle cell disease

— Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Madagascar, DRC —

BACKGROUND

In central Africa and Madagascar, the prevalence of the sickle cell gene ranges from 10% to 30%. Up to 2% of infants are born with the most severe form of the disease, and, without early and appropriate treatment, half to three quarters of these die before reaching the age of five. National programmes are generally attempting to curb this phenomenon, but governments lack the needed resources. In 2014, to remedy this problem, the IECD, the AFD and Fondation Pierre Fabre decided to invest in a major project spread over four years. The objectives: reduce the mortality and morbidity related to sickle cell disease and improve patient quality of life.

This programme, implemented in 2014 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar and in 2015 in Congo-Brazzaville and Cameroon, focuses first and foremost on improving screening of children. By training healthcare workers and establishing functional laboratories in referring healthcare centres, it will be possible to screen nearly 100,000 children. The programme will also improve medical care by training healthcare professionals and the parents of affected children, as well as purchasing vaccines and medicines. Communication and information dissemination will also be addressed: 160,000 women, students, teachers, and others will be educated on the importance of screening, as will associations working with street children.

In addition to financial support, the Pierre Fabre Foundation will help the project with its expertise in sickle cell disease and share wisdom gained from its experiences in Madagascar and in Kinshasa.

Ultimately, this programme is expected to produce lasting change in the population’s behaviour and empower local health structures. It should also encourage public authorities to make sickle cell disease a priority. This could be done, for example by including it in the basic healthcare package, or adding it to initial training curricula for healthcare professionals or to training for primary- and secondary-school teachers.

KEY FACTS
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Priority
Combating Sickle cell disease

Programme
Since 2014

Type of involvement
Distributor and operator

Actions

  • Programme cofounding
  • Steering collaboration
  • Strengthening the early detection circuit
  • Access to quality care for sickle cell patients and their families
  • Training of health personnel in diagnosis and management
  • Improving public awareness of the disease
  • Structuring advocacy actions

Centre hospitalier Monkole
4804, Avenue Ngafani,
Quartier Masanga-Mbila,
Commune de Mont-Ngafula
KINSHASA
DRC
www.monkole.cd/

At regional level, we intend to strengthen the Sickle Cell Disease Research Network in Central Africa (REDAC). Created in Kinshasa five years ago, it serves as a platform for dialogue and information-sharing, bringing together scientists and practitioners from several central African countries. This ambitious project will boost the REDAC’s influence among authorities and funding partners.”

Pr Léon Tshilolo
Medical Director/Senior Coordinator – Monkole Hospital Centre – Health Training and Support Centre (CEFA), Kinshasa

ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE INITIATIVES

Achievements

48
healthcare centres partnering on the project (40 in the DRC and 8 in Madagascar)

188
paramedics and physicians trained in the DRC

2 500
professionals trained in the management of sickle cell disease since 2018

69,202
screenings in 2019 in the 80 partner health centres

 

More than 80,000
persons reached by information campains

3,790 
sickle cell patients to be treated in 2019 in partner health centres

Initiatives

Côte d’Ivoire will be included in the second phase of the programme, which will continue until 2020 along the same lines, with increased support and training.

PARTNERS

See also

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