Our focus is on creating awareness about sickle cell among tribal population, says Kantilal Dande

Mission aims to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047 through awareness, testing, and treatment in tribal areas.

The main objectives of the Mission for Elimination of Sickle Cell Disease are to create awareness among seven crore people in tribal areas across the country in the age bracket of zero-40 about sickle cell disease, conduct tests, and treat it, said Kantilal Dande, Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare Department.

The Centre has set a target of eliminating the disease by 2047. As part of this mission, the State government is organising awareness programmes, capacity building, medical camps in affected areas and counselling for carriers.

Speaking at a programme organized to observe World Sickle Cell Day on June 19 (Wednesday) at AIIMS, Mangalagiri, Mr. Dande said the department has just finished the first phase of screening tests for tribal people. He said prevention is the best cure for this disease, and therefore, there is a need for awareness among people.

One in every 86 tribal people is affected with sickle cell disease, said the department Director J. Venkata Murali, adding that the Centre, keeping this in mind, has launched screening tests for all the tribal population as part of the Mission for Eradication of Sickle Cell disease by 2047.

“In the State, 20 lakh tribals in the age group of 0-40. In 2023-2024, tests were conducted for a little over 5 lakh population. This year, while we have set a target of conducting tests for 10,78,126 tribals, we have completed testing for 1,78,000 people. At least 1,667 people in the State have been diagnosed while 18,668 people have been identified as carriers,” Mr. Venkata Murali said.

He added that the State government is providing a monthly pension of ₹10,000 as a social security pension and free medicines to sickle cell disease patients.