Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has said that India’s fight against sickle cell anaemia is not just about addressing a genetic disorder, it is a commitment to equity, dignity and the health of the nation’s most marginalised communities. Sharing his article on social media, Mr. Nadda said that the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), launched in July 2023, aims to not only stop the transmission of sickle cell disease but also restore dignity and health to millions living with this condition.

In his article, Mr Nadda wrote that in its first two years, the mission has yielded remarkable results, with joint efforts of the government and the states. He said, as on 31st July, over 60 million individuals have screened across more than 300 districts in 17 high-prevalence states. He further said that, to accelerate screening efforts, point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic services approved by the Indian Council of medical Research (ICMR) have also been deployed.