In budget 2023, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the government will work in mission mode to eliminate Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) by 2047.
What is sickle cell anaemia?
Disease - Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited group of blood disorders that is genetic in nature.
It is an autosomal recessive disease or Mendelian disorder.
Cause - It is caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin-β gene found on chromosome 11.
This mutation results in defective haemoglobin (Hb).
Characteristics- After giving up oxygen, these defective Hb molecules cluster together resulting in formation of rod like structures.
The red blood cells become stiff and assume sickle shape.
Transmission - It is usually transferred from the parents to the child during birth i.e. both parents can be carriers of SCDs.
Symptoms - Babies who are born with sickle cell anaemia might not show symptoms for many months.
Extreme tiredness, fussiness and painfully swollen hands and feet and jaundice.
Effects - The misshapen cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels, impairing blood flow.
The sickle cells die prematurely, resulting in a chronic lack of red blood cells (anaemia), often called sickle-cell anaemia.
Chronic acute pain syndromes, severe bacterial infections, and necrosis (tissue death).
Treatment - Medication, blood transfusions and rarely a bone-marrow transplant are done.
Outreach programmes - The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) are undertaking outreach programmes for better management and control of the disease.
Portal for data collation - The Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a portal wherein people can register themselves if they have the disease, in order to collate all information related to the disease.
National Health Mission guideline on Hemoglobinopathies - It establishes services at the community level for pre-marital and pre-conception screening backed by genetic counselling services.
Mission to eliminate SCA – In the union budget of FY 2023-24, it is announced to launch a mission to eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047.
The mission entails focus on awareness creation, universal screening of people in the 0-40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling.
The mission will receive funding under the National Health Mission.
