Prime Minister Modi To Launch National Mission To Eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia By 2047

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission at a public programme in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (27 June).

During the event, he will also distribute sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries.

The mission aims to address the pressing health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among the tribal population.

The launch will mark a crucial milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem by 2047, the PMO said in a statement on Monday (26 June).

The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic single gene disorder causing a debilitating systemic syndrome characterised by chronic anemia, acute painful episodes, organ infarction and chronic organ damage and by a significant reduction in life expectancy. 

The disease is more common in the tribal population of India, but occurs in non tribals too. It not only causes anemia but also pain crises, reduced growth, and affects many organs like lungs, heart, kidney, eyes, bones and the brain.

The mission entails focus on awareness creation, universal screening of approximately seven crore people in the 0-40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.

This will be implemented in 278 districts of 17 high focused states in the country namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.

A state haemoglobinopathy mission has been established in Madhya Pradesh to tackle the challenges in screening and management of sickle cell disease.

Earlier in November 2021, PM Modi had launched a pilot project for screening in MP's Jhabua and Alirajpur districts, and 89 tribal blocks included in Second Phase of Project.

"As reported by state, total 993114 persons have been screened.  Out of whom 18866 have been detected HbAS (Sickle Trait) and 1506 (HbSS sickle diseased)," the Ministry of Health had said in a statement in February this year.