Empowering newborn screening programs in African countries through establishment of an international collaborative...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Genetics
• Pediatrics

Background:

• The First Pan African Workshop on Newborn Screening was held in Rabat, Morocco, in June 2019.
• It brought together over 150 stakeholders from 20 countries, including 11 African nations, and global experts.
• The workshop aimed to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration for improving child health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the First Pan African Workshop on Newborn Screening.
• To describe newborn screening activities in 11 represented African countries.
• To focus on sickle cell disease screening within the African context.

Main Methods:

• Convening a workshop with diverse participants including African stakeholders and international experts.
• Facilitating discussions on newborn screening rationale, techniques, system development, and implementation barriers.
• Gathering information on ongoing research and collaborative efforts in newborn screening across Africa.

Main Results:

• Over 150 attendees from 20 countries participated, with a significant representation from 11 African countries.
• The workshop agenda covered key aspects of newborn screening, including its application to sickle cell disease.
• An overview of newborn screening activities in participating African nations was compiled.

Conclusions:

• The workshop highlighted the importance of collaboration for advancing newborn screening in Africa.
• There is a need for continued development and implementation of newborn screening programs, particularly for sickle cell disease.
• Strengthening global and intra-African collaborations is crucial for improving child health outcomes through newborn screening.