The College of Health Sciences, Makerere University under the Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO) Project has organised a Sickle Cell Disease Stakeholders' Engagement meeting.
Date and Time: Tuesday 28th November 2023, from 8:00AM to 2:00PM EAT.
Guest of Honour: Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University.
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Sickle Cell Disease is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide. Most (75%), of individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) are found in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where the condition accounts for about 16% (150,000 deaths) annually of deaths in children less than 5 years. Uganda is one of the top 3 most affected countries in Africa, where 1 in every 10 people carries the sickle cell gene. SCD is caused by an abnormal type of blood called Haemoglobin S. Individuals with the disease suffer from repeated pain crises, anemia and infections, and in the long-term, damage to almost all organs of the body. Almost 40% of children die before they the reach their fifth birthday, and the life expectancy of adults is almost 20-30 years lower than the general population.
About the organisers:
The Sickle Cell Pan African Consortium (SPARCO) is a network of researchers and clinicians in 6 African countries including Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe-Zambia, Ghana, Mali with a Clinical Coordinating Centre in Tanzania and Data Coordinating Centre in South Africa. The goal of this consortium is to improve the health outcomes of individuals, families and communities with SCD disease through implementation of evidence-based interventions. The SPARCO-Uganda Project based at Makerere University is aimed at Strengthening Capacity for Clinical Care, Research and Training in Sickle Cell Disease. Further, the Enhancing Research Capacity for Sickle Cell Disease and related NCDs across the life span in Uganda (ENRICH) is a complementary training project to SPARCO-Uganda, aimed at improving outcomes of persons with SCD through research training and innovative research projects.