Syllabus 

GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: 

A total of six crore individuals has been screened for sickle cell disease (SCD) against the targeted seven crore under the National Sickle Cell Mission.

More on News

• Among those screened, 2.15 lakh individuals diagnosed with the disease and over 16 lakh carriers have been identified. 
• Additionally, 2.6 crore health cards have been distributed by the respective states to the screened individuals.
• The highest rate of diagnosed cases has been reported in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
• According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, states including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand have showed significant progress by achieving a high percentage of screening relative to their targets.

About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of inherited blood disorders caused by mutations in the genes responsible for producing hemoglobin. 

It is marked by the presence of abnormal hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. 

• Individuals inherit one mutated gene from each parent. 
• But in case of people with sickle cell trait, they inherit one normal gene and one sickle cell gene. 
• They are carriers and usually do not experience symptoms.

This abnormal form, known as hemoglobin S, causes red blood cells to become rigid and crescent- or "sickle"-shaped.

This blockages in blood flow leads to severe pain, organ damage, and potentially fatal complications.

It is more common in the tribal population of India, but occurs in non-tribals too.

It is one of the 21 “specified” disabilities listed in the Schedule of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.

Prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease in India

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s 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.
• India has the third highest number of SCD births, after Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• The highest incidence of diagnosed cases has been reported from the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

About National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission

The National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission was inaugurated in 2023 by the Prime Minister.

The mission aims to eliminate sickle cell anemia from the country by 2047 with the universal screening of 7 crore individuals aged 0 to 40 years in affected tribal areas.

The overall aim is to enable access to affordable and quality health care to all SCD patients, and to lower the prevalence through awareness, change of practices and screening interventions.

 The strategy of the mission emphasizes three pillars:

• Health promotion- Awareness generation & pre-marital genetic counselling
• Prevention - Universal screening and early detection
• Holistic Management & continuum of care - treatment facilities at tertiary health care facilities, Patient support system and Community adoption.

Screening for SCD is done using validated point-of-care testing (POCT) kits, which gives rapid, reliable and confirmatory results.

Treatment Available Under Mission 

• Hydroxyurea: A drug that lessens the severity of pain, reduces hospitalisations, and improves survival rates by increasing the size and flexibility of RBCs and lowering their likelihood of becoming sickle-shaped.
• Blood transfusions: Procedure where red blood cells are removed from a supply of donated blood and then given through a vein to a person with sickle cell anemia. This increases the number of healthy red blood cells reducing symptoms and complications.
• Bone Marrow Transplantation: It is a procedure of replacing bone marrow affected by sickle cell anemia with bone marrow from a donor. (often a close family).

Source:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/six-crore-people-screened-for-sickle-cell-disease-health-ministry/article69846089.ecehttps://sickle.nhm.gov.in/home/about