Gujarat leads Nation's Sickle Cell fight with 1.11 crore screenings

Ahead of World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, Gujarat has crossed a major healthcare milestone, screening more than 1.11 crore people under its targeted Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Programme.

Ahead of World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, Gujarat has crossed a major healthcare milestone, screening more than 1.11 crore people under its targeted Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Programme, according to a press release by the Gujarat government. First launched in 2006 across 14 tribal districts under then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat's initiative was the first of its kind in India. Today, the state's blueprint serves as the backbone for India's national mission to eliminate the genetic blood disorder by 2047.

This year's global theme, "Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease," aligns with Gujarat's expanded grassroots infrastructure, which now tracks and supports tens of thousands of patients in predominantly tribal regions. Under the administration of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state has conducted 0.11 crore screenings, with over 23 lakh of these tests performed in the last five years alone.

To provide long-term relief to those affected, the state has disbursed ₹18.15 crore to 13,040 patients through its Patient Assistance Scheme. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the state government further bolstered this support by increasing the monthly lifelong stipend fivefold, from ₹500 to ₹2,500. Addressing the prevention of intergenerational transmission, the state has deployed 180 dedicated counsellors at Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya has actively urged youth to determine their sickle cell status before marriage, characterising the screening as a vital "medical horoscope" for ensuring long-term health.

The state has decentralised its diagnostic capabilities to ensure early intervention, mapping care from local clinics to district hospitals. Currently, there are 30,512 registered patients under the state's care. To support these diagnostic efforts, the state has deployed 41 HPLC and Mini Electrophoresis machines across 14 tribal districts and operates three dedicated day-care centres located in Valsad, Navsari, and Dang-Rumla. Additionally, the initial screening using DTT tests is available at all Primary Health Centres across the state.

The success of Gujarat's model earned the state the "PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration" in 2011. It later inspired the central government to launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in July 2023, aiming for complete eradication by the centenary of India's independence in 2047. Looking forward, Gujarat is expanding its clinical research capabilities. The state government has confirmed it is currently establishing a specialised Centre of Competence, Research and Counselling at the Surat Civil Hospital to advance treatment and genetic counselling protocols. (ANI)