Joint Press release - Principality of Monaco and Senegal cooperate in fight against sickle cell disease

Ms Rosabrunetto and H.E. Ms Coll Seck sign the renewal of the agreement on support for the fight against sickle cell disease in Senegal until 2020 © DR

The fight against sickle cell disease is a key programme for Monaco’s Official Development Assistance. This genetic haemoglobin disorder is extremely common in Africa and affects 10% of the Senegalese population. Keen to extend the agreement concluded between the two countries in 2014, Ms Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and H.E. Ms Awa Marie Coll Seck, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of the Government of Senegal, signed an addendum renewing the agreement aimed at supporting Senegal’s national policy to combat sickle cell disease until 2020. Efforts so far have resulted in good progress.

On 10 May, to mark Africa Sickle Cell Day, Ms Rosabrunetto and Mr Ibrahima Wone, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health, opened the Outpatient Unit for Children and Young People with Sickle Cell Disease at the Albert Royer National Children’s Hospital in Dakar. Completed thanks to joint efforts by the two countries, this unit will be able to treat nearly 4,000 patients over the next three years.

In parallel, the African Sickle Cell Network of West Madagascar, set up in 2013 with the support of Monaco’s Official Development Assistance, met in Dakar for some workshops. Bringing together doctors and patients’ association representatives from six countries (Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Madagascar), this network aims to standardise practices in the fight against the disease and to raise awareness of it. To this end, information, awareness and advocacy strategies and tools, as well as a guide to treating patients with sickle cell, are currently being developed.

* The Monegasque delegation comprised:

• Ms Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperatio
• Ms Anne Poyard-Vatrican, Assistant to the Director of International Cooperation
• Ms Laetitia Vecchierini, Programme Manager for Senegal

Accompanied by Mr Guédel Ndiaye, Monaco’s Consul in Senegal