Since 2011, Sickle Forward has partnered with in-country leaders in Mali to screen over 20,000 infants, beginning at Koutiala Hospital and now scaling up to reach 100,000 infants across Mali and Togo over the next two years.[reference:2][reference:3][reference:4]
Sickle Forward's work in Mali began in 2011 with newborn screening at a single rural hospital.[reference:5] Over the past decade, we have built a sustainable, scalable model for early diagnosis using point-of-care technologies like HemotypeSC and Gazelle electrophoresis, serving as a blueprint for newborn screening programs across sub-Saharan Africa.[reference:6][reference:7]
Our work in Mali is centered at the Koutiala Hospital for Women and Children, with plans to expand across the country.
The flagship site where systematic, point-of-care newborn screening for SCD was first established in rural Mali.[reference:8]
Urban capital where laboratory-based screening has demonstrated SCD prevalence of 1.48% and carrier frequency of 19.84%.[reference:9]
A bold initiative is underway to screen 100,000 infants across Mali and Togo over the next two years.[reference:10][reference:11]
Sickle cell disease affects approximately 2% of the population in Mali, with a prevalence of 1.34% in rural areas and 1.48% in Bamako.[reference:12][reference:13][reference:14]
In all, 181 infants (1.54%) were found to have sickle cell disease at Koutiala Hospital and were offered follow-up care in the SCD treatment program.[reference:19][reference:20]
Sickle Forward's point-of-care screening approach is designed to work in real-world settings, including remote and resource-limited environments.[reference:21]
Rapid lateral flow test used as the initial screening step, providing results in as little as 10 minutes.[reference:22]
Miniaturized electrophoresis platform used for confirmatory testing of positive screens.[reference:23]
This systematic, point-of-care newborn screening model is feasible and sustainable in rural Mali, providing a blueprint for early diagnosis across sub-Saharan Africa.[reference:24]
Your support helps us expand screening services, deliver diagnostic tools, train healthcare workers, and connect children to life-saving care across Mali.
Tax Deductible · 100% of proceeds go to Sickle Forward's programmes
