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Opportunities and Challenges for Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Emma Kalk1, Helen Louise Malherbe2, Ushma C Mehta3

  • 1Centre for Integrated Data and Epidemiological Research, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Birth Defects Research
|June 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

The sub-Saharan African Congenital Anomalies Network (sSCAN) aims to improve care for congenital anomalies (CA) in Africa. It fosters collaboration and data sharing to address the significant burden of CA in the region.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Congenital anomalies (CA) are a major cause of mortality in neonates and children under five, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Limited epidemiological data on CA burden, distribution, mortality, disability, and morbidity hinders research and interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The sub-Saharan African Congenital Anomalies Network (sSCAN) was established to address fragmented research, surveillance, and care for CA in the region.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a community of practice for congenital anomalies (CA) in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • To promote prevention, early diagnosis, and improved care for children with CA and their families.
  • To determine CA prevalence, promote preventive interventions, and enhance health outcomes through resource sharing, data pooling, and capacity building.

Main Methods:

  • Established a community of practice involving 16 projects across 12 sub-Saharan African countries.
  • Facilitated resource and expertise sharing, common public health response strategies, and data pooling for comparative analysis.
  • Focused on capacity building to address CA research, surveillance, and care challenges.

Main Results:

  • The sSCAN network includes 16 projects across 12 countries, with limited intra-African collaboration.
  • Challenges to regional data sharing included lack of data harmonization, varied funding, and data protection legislation.
  • sSCAN has hosted webinars, supported grant applications, and facilitated publications, making resources available online.

Conclusions:

  • The sSCAN platform offers a valuable opportunity to build capacity and share expertise for addressing CA in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Optimizing data use through sSCAN can lead to contextually relevant solutions for congenital anomalies in the region.
  • Enhanced collaboration and data sharing are crucial for improving outcomes for children with CA in sub-Saharan Africa.
Abstract

Keywords:
community of practicecongenital anomaliesregional networksub‐Saharan Africasurveillance

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