ISTOCK
A total of six crore individuals have been screened for sickle cell disease (SCD) against the targeted seven crore under the National Sickle Cell Mission, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday.
Among those screened, 2.15 lakh individuals were diagnosed with the disease and 16.7 lakh carriers identified. Additionally, 2.6 crore health cards have been distributed by the respective states to the screened individuals, the ministry said.
States including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka and Uttarakhand have demonstrated significant progress by achieving a high percentage of screening relative to their targets. The highest incidence of diagnosed cases has been reported from the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Screening for SCD is being conducted using validated point-of-care testing (POCT) kits, which ensure rapid, reliable and confirmatory results.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that affects how red blood cells work. Here's how it happens:
Sickle cell disease is inherited. That means a child gets the gene from both parents. If a person inherits the sickle cell gene from only one parent, they have sickle cell trait — they usually don’t have symptoms but can pass the gene to their children.
Chronic pain (often in the bones or chest)
Fatigue and weakness
Frequent infections
Swelling in hands and feet
Slow growth or delayed puberty in children
Vision problems