Bhopal.
Under the National Sickle Cell Eradication Mission-2047, World Sickle Cell Day will be a state level program at the Sports Stadium of Gram Panchayat Talun in Barwani on June 19. President Draupadi Murmu will be the chief guest at the program. Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla and other ministers will attend the program. Many innovations will be launched on the occasion including genetic counseling awareness videos and extensive guidelines/modules for affected pregnant women. Panchayats completing 100 percent screening of the targeted age group will be honored. The “sickle cell friend” initiative will also be started in collaboration with NCC directors of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Sickle cell friends will serve as a link among service providers for awareness in the youth population.
On this occasion, activities will be organized in the entire state to bring awareness about sickle cell disease. Special counseling camps will be set up in 33 districts of sickle cell affected, where they will be informed about genetic counseling, disease management, possibilities for future generations and necessary medical services. Identification, screening and other family members will also be investigated by setting up special camps in all primary and secondary health institutions from sub-stations to district hospitals.
Sickle cell patients and their carefuls will be conveyed to management methods in acute conditions such as pen crisis. A campaign will be launched for screening and counseling in particularly affected tribal and rural panchayats of the affected district. Genetic counseling cards developed at the state level will be distributed, which will facilitate people to understand genetic information. To simplify the process of connecting sickle-cell patients with disability schemes and financial assistance, a mega camps for construction of UDID cards will also be set up.
Under the National Sickle Cell Eradication Mission in the state, the sickle cell screening of more than 1 crore 6 lakh citizens has been done so far and more than 2 lakh carriers have been identified and 29 thousand 277 people were found to be suffering from sickle cell disease. Treatment of these patients continues. So far, more than 80 lakh 9 thousand sickle cell cards have been distributed, due to which the affected citizens are getting proper treatment by understanding their health status.
Sustainable monitoring of screening and treatment is being done through the National Sickle Cell portal. Free treatment, genetic counseling, medicines, vaccination and blood transfusion facilities are being provided to the patients. So far 26,115 patients have received treatment from hydroxyuria medicine. Screening camps are also being organized in tribal schools, colleges and hostels by coordinating with various departments.
The mission in the state was started on 15 November 2021 as a pilot project in Alirajpur and Jhabua as a state hemoglobinopathy mission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the mission on 1 July 2023 from Shahdol at the national level. At present, screening is going on in 33 districts of the state, including 89 development blocks and 13 additional districts (PM Janman Yojana) in 20 districts. Special labs are installed in AIIMS Bhopal for the eradication of sickle cell in 72 hours in AIIMS Bhopal. All identified patients are being provided hydroxyuria, folic acid and free blood transfusion. For serious patients, Bonmero transplant unit has been set up at Indore Medical College, where more than 100 transplant has been done. The Center of Excellence has been established in Rewa. Under the mission in Madhya Pradesh, continuous and strong efforts are being made to achieve the target of completely eliminating the sickle cell by 2047.
