Implementation of hospital-based sickle cell newborn screening and follow-up programs in Haiti.

One in 120 children are born with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Haiti. However, health care challenges include isolated newborn screening (NBS) activities and lack of transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound to assess stroke risk. The implementation activities of the Comparative Study of Children in Haiti and Miami with Sickle Cell Disease involved both NBS and TCD ultrasound implementations at 4 Haitian clinical sites.

Introduction of Hydroxyurea Therapy to a Cohort of Sickle Cell Patients in Northern Haiti.

Although the prevalence of sickle cell anemia is high in Haiti, treatment with hydroxyurea (HU) is uncommon. HU therapy was started at a hospital in Northern Haiti for children and young adults who had presented with complications of their disease. The patients were followed in clinic for their response to therapy and the principal outcome was hospitalization for complications.

Diphtheria in Children in Northern Haiti.

Infection with Corynebacterium diphtheriae persists in Haiti. Twenty-six children with clinically severe respiratory diphtheria presented to a hospital in northern Haiti during a 3-year period beginning in early 2015. The mortality rate was 50%.