ArticleBMC primary care2025
Integration of newborn screening for sickle cell disease into primary health care in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a pilot study.
Article in BMC primary care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Transforming Hematology Care in Africa: Strategies for Enhanced Diagnosis and Treatment.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Diagnostic accuracy of the sickle SCANAnnals of hematology · 2026Article
- Newborn Screening for Hemoglobinopathies and Thalassemias: Brief History, Recent Activities, and Global Status-2026.International journal of neonatal screening · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited genetic disorder that represents a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This disease, characterized by an amino acid substitution in the beta-globin chain, requires early management to reduce serious complications and improve patients' quality of life. This study aimed to test the feasibility of integrating newborn screening for SCD into primary health care in Bukavu, in the DRC, to improve health outcomes for affected infants and reduce serious complications associated with the disease.
methodsA prospective cohort pilot study was conducted from November 2022 to December 2023 in 15 primary healthcare facilities in Bukavu. Mothers were screened for SCD at antenatal clinics and maternities. Blood samples from mothers and newborns were collected and tested using the HemoTypeSC™ point-of-care testing. Results were confirmed by Gazelle® electrophoresis in case of a positive result.
resultsOut of the 6,353 sensitized mothers, 4,496 consented to undergo screening, resulting in an acceptance rate of 70.77%. Among them, 91.61% were HbAA, 8.16% were HbAS, and 0.22% were HbSS. Among the mothers with HbS, only 77 received follow-up until delivery, demonstrating the feasibility of the follow-up process. The findings revealed that out of the 77 newborns, 66.23% were HbAA, 29.87% were HbAS, and 3.90% were HbSS.
conclusionsThe integration of newborn screening for SCD into primary health care in Bukavu, in the DRC, has demonstrated feasibility and effectiveness in the early identification of affected infants. This initiative has the potential to mitigate the serious complications linked to the disease and enhance health outcomes for patients. These findings set the stage for broader adoption of this approach to address the implications of SCD on maternal and child health in the DRC.
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