This workshop took place 24^th February 2022 and the aim  was to engage stakeholders (patients, caregivers, health workers  and policy makers) on the nature of sickle cell disease and to ascertain the challenges that  patients face in accessing care and the best way to provide the services to increase the  number of patients who are enrolled and able to be followed up actively in the clinics at the  Sickle Pan Africa Research Consortium NigEria Network (SPARC-NEt) Sites. At the end of the workshop, the participants were expected to know more  about SCD, the importance of regular health maintenance to modify disease severity. It was a site-wide event that took place virtually and in person, with centres outside Nigeria also connecting to the Zoom meeting.

Talks were given on the following topics:

• Introduction to SPARC-NEt and the Workshop
• Nigeria Government plan for SCD
• The Cause and Nature of sickle cell disease
• Role of education in management
• Best Practices in Assessing Care for SCD  Patients
• Standard Of Care Guidelines for the  Management of SCD at the Home Level

The  workshop had a good representation of the different stakeholder groups, with 80% of the  project sites able to connect to the Abuja hub online for the workshop. Patients/care-givers  from all the sites, made up 46% of attendees, with doctors (all specialities) making up the  second largest group of attendees at 21%. Other stakeholders included nurses, medical  laboratory scientists, pharmacists, medical record and data staff, research assistants,  management/policy makers and the media. The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital site  recorded the highest number of attendees (40 persons). A total of 99 online connections  were recorded, with colleagues from Tanzania and SADAAC connecting to the workshop.

The outcome of the meeting provided information on the stakeholders requirements:

• For patients with a lifelong illness, repetition kills interest. Every clinic day should be  a unique journey with exciting new things to look forward to.

• Government should make the NHIS more friendly and effective for the sickle cell  patients.

• Legislative framework should support reduction of the prevalence of SCD with  health education and public enlightenment for all

• Capacity building, enhancement, and job protection for health workers to enable them  to put in their best.

• Provision of more specialized sickle cell centres.

• Improved emergency care and blood transfusion access

Below are pictures of attendees at some of the project sites