Dominica Launches Caribbean’s First Digital Platform for Sickle Cell Patients

A new digital health platform designed specifically for people living with sickle cell disease has been launched in Dominica, marking what developers say is a first for the Caribbean.

The platform, called SickleConnect, officially went live on Thursday to coincide with World Sickle Cell Day. Developed by the Sickle Cell Cares Foundation Inc. (SCCF), the free service aims to help patients better manage their condition through a range of health-tracking and support tools.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SCCF, Kellyn George, who lives with HbSS Sickle Cell Disease, described the platform as a resource she wished had been available during her own childhood.

“SickleConnect is the platform I needed growing up,” George said.

The web-based application allows users to monitor pain episodes, manage medications, track hydration levels, log laboratory results, and generate health summaries that can be shared with healthcare professionals.

Among its features is a pain-tracking tool that helps patients identify patterns and triggers associated with sickle cell crises. Female users can also monitor potential links between pain episodes and their menstrual cycle.

The platform includes medication reminders, refill alerts, and adherence tracking for treatments commonly prescribed to sickle cell patients. Users can also monitor their daily water intake, an important part of managing the disease.

One of the app’s most innovative features is an artificial intelligence-powered reporting system that generates a 30-day clinical summary based on patient data. The report can then be shared with doctors to assist with consultations and treatment planning.

SickleConnect also offers private virtual consultations with a sickle cell counsellor and lived-experience advisor, as well as a one-touch emergency alert system that allows users to share their location during a medical crisis.

In addition, patients can access moderated online communities where they can connect with others living with the condition throughout the Caribbean and the diaspora.

According to the Sickle Cell Cares Foundation, the platform was developed in response to the challenges many patients face in accessing specialist care across the region.

Sickle cell disease affects an estimated one in every 500 people of African or Caribbean descent and is associated with severe pain episodes, organ damage, and other life-threatening complications. Access to haematology specialists remains limited in several Caribbean countries, creating barriers to ongoing care and disease management.

The foundation believes the new platform can help bridge some of those gaps by giving patients greater control over their health information and providing easier access to support services.

SickleConnect is available free of charge and can be accessed through any internet-enabled device at app.sicklecellcares.org. Users can install it directly on both iPhone and Android devices without downloading it from an app store.

Founded in 2013, the Sickle Cell Cares Foundation provides education, advocacy, peer support, and healthcare services to people living with sickle cell disease in Dominica and across the Eastern Caribbean.