Dr. Maureen Okam Achebe is a leading haematologist, researcher and educator whose work is shaping the future of sickle cell disease care, iron deficiency treatment and health equity worldwide. She is Clinical Director of Hematology Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Professor of Medicine and Global Health Equity at Harvard Medical School. A graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, Yale School of Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Dr. Achebe specialises in sickle cell disease, iron deficiency and equitable healthcare delivery. She directs the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centre, overseeing the care of more than 200 adults living with the condition while leading clinical research and trials. Beyond her clinical work, she collaborates with the American Society of Hematology to expand haematology care globally, supports newborn screening initiatives for sickle cell disease across seven African countries through the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA), and serves as Associate Director for Sickle Cell Disease Integration in the World Health Organisation’s PEN Plus programme. In this interview, amongst other things, she shares more on the future of sickle cell care across Africa. Chiemelie Ezeobi brings excerpts
What makes this launch a landmark moment for the future of sickle cell care across Africa?
The Africa CDC has unveiled a continental plan for sickle cell disease and other inherited disorders. And this marks a turning point in the fight against one of Africa’s most severe health challenges. It builds on work of the technical working group that was established in in April 2025. The technical working groups had clear terms of reference and a plan for development. The idea is that this is a plan that will successfully be rolled out across Africa. This is not a new problem in Africa, but what the Africa CDC has marshaled out gives us real hope that this will be successful in conquering or at least making significant strides in the treatment or management of sickle cell disease in Africa.
CONSA has screened nearly 175,000 newborns. Are there treatment systems currently strong enough to respond to newborns who test positive for sickle cell?
I’m hoping that we’re almost there. I don’t know that it is receiving the financial support that it deserves. It is a significant health scourge in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, it should be a major priority in funding. We are hopeful that the ministries will pay more attention to it and put more money towards it. I don’t think it is receiving the funds that it needs or that it deserves at this point. Hopefully, with Africa CDC, that will also encourage countries to prioritize sickle cell disease in their healthcare plans.
How important was the evidence generated by the American Society of Hematology’s CONSA programme in helping make the case for a continent-wide strategy?
The American Society of Haematology’s CONSA programme has worked with many partners and WHO Afro. The culmination of many partners indicating how important sickle cell disease is for sub-Saharan Africa and indicating the importance of having a solution for the disease is believed to have influenced the Africa CDC to launch this continental plan.
CONSA has shown that large-scale newborn screening is feasible across multiple African countries. What have been the most important lessons from that experience?
Well, the most important lessons have really – first, we are proud of our work. The most important lessons have been that the screening is possible. Early intervention, identifying babies that have sickle cell disease is possible, getting them into care is possible, coordination across countries is possible in a way that it builds capacity both for clinicians and laboratory staff. We are collating data to show even more long term benefits of screening. Our CONSA is not a research study. It’s really an implementation project with the goal to integrate newborn screening into healthcare systems, specifically aligning the work of CONSA with national plans in a way that is sustainable, and in a way that significantly impacts outcomes of individuals with sickle cell disease, increasing lifespan, but also increasing workforce, and in a way that is financially viable or financially advantageous to the countries that implement screening.
Are some countries already emerging as models for sickle cell care in Africa?
There are countries around Africa that have a higher burden for sickle cell disease. So I would say the countries that do have a higher burden of sickle cell disease are those that have paid more attention appropriately to sickle cell disease. I think the countries that we work in have all been models for what sickle cell disease care should be, and should be addressed. They are somewhat nuanced depending on where the prevalence is, whether it’s countrywide or whether it’s portions of the countries. They’ve all been models for different things – they haven’t necessarily done exactly the same thing, but have been models in ways that sickle cell disease can successfully be addressed in different countries.
How many lives could potentially be saved if early screening becomes widespread?
The goal is for screening and early intervention to save over 95% of babies, as has been achieved in high-income countries. It is estimated that there are over 300,000 babies born with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa annually. Therefore, the expectation is that over 95% of those babies will be saved from under-5 mortality with screening and early intervention.
What would success look like over the next three to five years, and what indicators should journalists and the public watch to hold stakeholders accountable?
Success could look like national plans for nationwide screening or for screening where there is definitely a high burden of sickle cell disease. And I say that because in some countries, the different portions of different parts of countries have significantly different prevalences of sickle cell disease. But success would look like all individuals with sickle cell disease being identified as newborns, and brought to care where they are afforded early intervention and a healthy life