Emmanuel Ibekwe

Sickle cell in Africa Patient Parent Network

Sickle cell in Africa Patient/Parent Network (SCAPPN) is a unique African Network initiative that is as a result of working in the UK and Africa for the past 14 years. The Network is crucial in elevating the patients' voice, Patients and Parents are encouraged to joining or form groups so we can all come together to express our concerns and needs. We need to get to the grassroot levels to ensure everyone's voice to promote patient engagement and involvement of sickle cell communities in Africa. As a Patient/Parent Led charity, we have recognised that for tangible change to reach children and young people living with Sickle cell, we have to empower them to have a voice. A strong voice that will be heard by governments and international communities to understand the neglect that Sickle cell sufferers face in Africa and come to their aid, a strong voice that will include policy change at local and national government levels. The Network aims to bring relief to children that cannot afford pain killers to relieve the pain of Sickle cell anaemia through our new 'Sponsor a Sickle child medicine bags'.