Webinar: Leveraging Existing Health Infrastructure to Start Newborn Screening in Resource Limited Settings

GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Charles Kiyaga, Director Programs, Partnerships and Global Health, Uganda National Health Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health Uganda

Newborn screening programs are life saving for babies who are born with abnormalities, however they are largely not funded… especially in resource limited settings. In sub-Saharan African, NBS programs virtually don’t exist and yet diseases like Sickle cell and other genetical, hormonal, and metabolic abnormalities are rampant.

Log-in and Learn: July 16, 1.00pm GMT+1

Given resource limitation, NBS programs should leverage already existing programs, health infrastructure and systems. HIV and immunization programs are some of the health interventions that have built systems and infrastructure that could be leveraged to set up NSB programs, where sickle cell could be the backbone.

Uganda is going to share their experience where they used the country’s early infant HIV diagnosis (EID) program, to conduct a national wide sickle prevalence study (US3), and after which rolled out NBS in high burden districts. All these riding on the health infrastructure and sample transport system built with HIV resources.

Don’t miss this insightful AFRICA HEALTHCARE WEEK ONLINE presentation and the discussion that will follow.