Recently, the Prime Minister launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission and distributed sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries in Madhya Pradesh.

An Overview of the News

• The mission aims to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.
• India will implement this mission in 278 districts across 17 states.
• The targeted states include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.
• The mission focuses on creating awareness and universal testing among about seven crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in the affected tribal areas.
• Consultation and implementation will employ collaborative efforts of Central Ministries and State Governments.

About Sickle Cell disease

• Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders that affect haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body.
• The red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible enough to move easily through the blood vessels. If people have sickle cell disease, their red blood cells are crescent or “sickle” shaped. 
• These cells do not bend or move easily and can block blood flow to the rest of their body leading to serious problems, including stroke, eye problems, infections, and episodes of pain called pain crises.
• As per the Census 2011, India has an 8.6% tribal population, which is 67.8 million across the Indian states. 
• The MoHFW tribal health expert committee report has listed sickle cell disease as one of the 10 special problems in tribal heath that affect the tribal people disproportionately, thus making this an important intervention. 
• The program, as part of the National Health Mission, will carry out in a mission mode, covering the entire population from zero to 18 years of age and incrementally including the entire population up to 40 years.
• In the initial stage, the mission would prioritise its intervention in high prevalence and tribal states/UT, the plan would subsequently expand to include all states/UTs in a phase-wise manner with an incremental approach.
• The mission aims to cover 7 crore people with screening, counselling for prevention and care for people with SCD in three and half years.

What are the symptoms?

Red blood cells in the infected person with SCA resemble like sickles. According to a report by India Today, one of the indications of this illness is anaemia, in which red blood cells expire within 10 to 20 days while being expected. As a result, there is an RBC deficiency, which leads to anaemia. The body is left worn out and exhausted as a result. Because sickle cells harm the spleen and make people more susceptible to infections, people may have swelling in their hands and feet, the report added.

Read also:- Prevalence of Anaemia in India

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission