Improving Sickle Cell Disease Care in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with Mobile Lab Screening

Leon Tshilolo of the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomedicale in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Johnny Mahlangu of University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa will perform a pilot study using a mobile laboratory to conduct sickle cell disease (SCD) screening and patient follow-up in hard-to-reach and rural areas of the DRC. A mobile laboratory could lead to broader and earlier detection of SCD, enabling treatment sooner, and help ensure continued treatment, together reducing mortality and improving health outcomes. Sickle cell carriers will also be identified, with the study contributing to a more accurate epidemiological map of SCD to guide national healthcare strategy and advocacy efforts.