Jannah Wing
Global Health Scholar Class of 2024
Sickle cell anemia is a common and largely neglected inherited blood disorder, with an estimated mortality rate as high as 50-90% in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa. In order to address this global health problem, a group at Lehigh University is working with partners in Sierra Leone to design and implement a low-cost, easy-to-use sickle cell anemia screening device, so that patients can be diagnosed and access lifesaving care from an early age. My research contributes to this project by analyzing how a feasible sickle cell screening program could function within the current Sierra Leonean health care system. Specifically, I am mapping the weakness and opportunities within their current health care system, and using modeling and statistical analysis to compare the feasibility of different screening and intervention programs within this context.