Global healthcare leader Novo Nordisk and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have entered a strategic three-year partnership to support improved care for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in sub-Saharan Africa.
The collaboration aims to strengthen the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker (CHW) Initiative across seven countries: Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
This new initiative will focus on training community health workers to deliver vital services in SCD diagnosis, education, care coordination and follow-up support. By equipping CHWs with the tools and training needed to reach vulnerable communities – especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas – the partnership seeks to enhance patient outcomes, promote early intervention and bridge persistent healthcare access gaps.
Sickle cell disease, a life-threatening genetic blood disorder, remains a major public health issue across sub-Saharan Africa. More than 75% of global births with SCD occur in the region. Since its launch in 2018, CONSA has screened over 140,000 newborns for the disease. However, a significant challenge remains ensuring follow-up care after diagnosis. Obstacles such as stigma, lack of awareness and long travel distances to healthcare centres continue to hinder the continuity of care and exacerbate mortality rates.
To combat these challenges, the new partnership will work closely with local and national governments to implement sustainable community-based solutions. By expanding the CHW model, the initiative will improve care retention, promote health equity and increase public education about SCD in underserved populations. The project will also reduce complications in children through early diagnosis and consistent treatment.
Further amplifying the impact, Novo Nordisk is collaborating with reach52, a social enterprise specialising in digital health solutions, to carry out public awareness campaigns in three Kenyan counties: Siaya, Homabay and Kisumu. These campaigns will mobilise local communities, reduce the stigma around SCD and encourage families to seek early screening and medical support.
“Too many children and families in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to necessary sickle cell disease care,” said the president of ASH, Dr. Belinda R. Avalos. “This initiative builds on ASH’s existing newborn screening efforts but takes it a step further by improving long-term access to care, providing critical education and empowering families to trust and rely on local health workers.”
The CONSA consortium currently operates in 11 clinical sites across the participating countries. Each participating region will initially train five community health workers, who will receive biannual grants to carry out essential care activities. In the second and third years, Nurse coordinator CHW summits will be organised to foster cross-country learning and collaboration among healthcare professionals.
General manager for Middle Africa at Novo Nordisk, Vinay Ransiwal emphasised the need for local capacity building. “With over 515,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in sub-Saharan Africa and a global shortage of healthcare providers, empowering nurses and CHWs is critical,” he said. “Our sustainable iCARE strategy is committed to bridging this gap, improving access and building stronger healthcare systems.”
This partnership marks another step in Novo Nordisk’s broader mission to improve healthcare delivery and disease management in Africa, focusing on equity, sustainability and locally driven solutions to transform SCD care across the continent.
