Sickle cell registry and care program in Zimbabwe and Zambia
Sickle Hemoglobinopathy reseArch in Zimbabwe (SHAZ)
This program will enroll children and adults with sickle cell disease in Zimbabwe and Zambia to build a patient registry and biobank and to expand newborn screening, nutrition support, and access to hydroxyurea.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | College of Health Scis Univ of Zimbabwe NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Harare, Zimbabwe) |
| Project ID | NIH-11414819 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I could join a regional effort that signs up people with sickle cell disease of all ages and stores clinical data and blood samples in a secure registry and biobank. Clinicians will follow about 4,000 participants over several years to learn how factors like fetal hemoglobin and abnormal cerebral blood flow relate to stroke risk. The team will also work to bring routine newborn screening, better nutrition programs, and wider use of hydroxyurea to clinics in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The goal is to use this real-world information to improve care and prevent complications where I live.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People of any age with confirmed sickle cell disease living in Zimbabwe or Zambia, including newborns and adults, are the ideal candidates for participation.
Not a fit: People without sickle cell disease or those living outside the participating countries are unlikely to be eligible or to receive direct benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier diagnosis, better stroke prevention, and wider access to hydroxyurea for people with sickle cell disease in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
How similar studies have performed: Other registries and implementation programs in sub-Saharan Africa have increased newborn screening and hydroxyurea uptake, and prior trials support hydroxyurea and blood-flow monitoring to lower stroke risk, but large, country-specific data in Zimbabwe and Zambia are limited.
Where this research is happening
Harare, Zimbabwe
- College of Health Scis Univ of Zimbabwe — Harare, Zimbabwe (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuona, Patience — College of Health Scis Univ of Zimbabwe
- Study coordinator: Kuona, Patience
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.