Prime Minister to Launch Sickle Cell Disease Eradication Campaign

A campaign to end sickle cell anemia is set to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disease in tribal population, in Shahdol.

He is scheduled to arrive in Shahdol – one of the tribal populated district in the state – at 3.30 p.m. Notably, the tribal population of eight districts are affected with Sickle cell disease (SCD), which is a genetic condition characterized by abnormal hemoglobin in red blood cells (RBCs).

Sickle Cell Anemia in India

As many as 15 districts — Jhabua, Alirajpur, Dhar, Barwani, Khandwa, Khargone, Burhanpur, Betul, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Mandla, Dindori, Katni, Umaria, Shahdol and Anuppur — are with high index of sickle cell anemia, according to ICMR report. The initiative to eliminate this genetic disease from tribal people was announced by PM Modi during a visit to Bhopal on the occasion of – Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15, 2021. According to ICMR, in Sickle Cell disease, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregular shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.

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 Prime Minister’s Office release stated. Notably, the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2023.