New collaborations aim to reduce the burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) in East Africa and improve access to high quality care; Program continues progress in Ghana with more than 2000 patients being treated with hydroxyurea in 11 treatment centers across the country; Novartis (www.Novartis.com) plans to roll the program out to a total of 10 African countries by 2022; Approximately 1 000 children in Africa are born with SCD every day and more than half will die before they reach the age of five.