Professor Thérèsa L Coetzer is a scientist from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa who has been involved with the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) since its inception. CONSA is supported by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) with the overarching goal of screening newborns for sickle cell disease and enrolling babies who are positive into an early intervention program.
Prof Coetzer focuses on the diagnostic and laboratory aspects of the consortium to ensure accurate diagnosis of babies with sickle cell disease. She is involved in training laboratory staff and building local capacity at each of the CONSA sites within the 7 member countries of the consortium. An additional goal is to facilitate a collaborative network of skilled laboratory personnel in Africa.
