PM’s address at the launch of Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 01 Jul, 2023

Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Present in the program are the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj ji, my colleagues from the Union Cabinet, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya ji, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste ji, Professor S.P. Singh Baghel ji, Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta ji, Dr. Bharati Pawar ji, Shri Bishweswar Tudu ji, Member of Parliament Shri V.D. Sharma ji, the ministers in the Madhya Pradesh government, all the legislators, other esteemed guests joining us from across the country in this program, and my dear brothers and sisters who have come here in such a large number to bless us all! Jai Seva, Jai Johar. Today, I am fortunate to be among all of you on this sacred land of Rani Durgavati ji. I offer my heartfelt homage at the feet of Rani Durgavati ji. Inspired by her, a huge campaign ‘Sickle Cell Anaemia Mukti (Elimination) Mission’ is being started today. Today, one crore beneficiaries in Madhya Pradesh are being provided with Ayushman cards also. The primary beneficiaries of both these efforts are our Gond, Bhil and other tribal communities. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you and the double-engine government of Madhya Pradesh. Friends, Today, the nation is taking a significant resolve on this land of Shahdol. This resolve is to ensure the well-being of our tribal brothers and sisters. This resolve is for the liberation from sickle cell anaemia. This resolve is to save the lives of 2.5 lakh children and their 2.5 lakh families, who are affected by sickle cell anaemia each year. Friends, I have spent a long time among the tribal communities in different parts of the country. Diseases like sickle cell anaemia cause immense suffering. Patients constantly experience pain in their joints, swelling, and fatigue in their bodies. They endure unbearable pain in their back, legs, and chest, struggling to breathe. Prolonged suffering also damages the internal organs of patients. This disease affects not only individuals but also their families. It is not transmitted through air, water, or food. It is hereditary, passed on from parents to their children. And the children who are born with this disease continue to face challenges throughout their lives. Friends, Out of all the cases of sickle cell anaemia in the world, approximately 50 percent of them occur only in our country. Unfortunately, no one cared about this problem and no concrete plan was made to deal with this issue in the last 70 years. Most of the affected people belong to the tribal community. It was not even an issue for the previous governments due to their indifference towards the tribal society. However, the responsibility of resolving this major challenge of the tribal society has now been taken up by the BJP government, our government. For us, the tribal society is not just a government statistic. It is a matter of empathy and emotional concern for us. I have been making efforts in this direction long before I became the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the first time. Our Governor, Shri Mangubhai, has been a dedicated leader of the tribal community. Mangubhai and I have been working together in tribal areas for almost 50 years. We consistently worked to find ways to address this disease and raise awareness among tribal families. Even after I became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I started many campaigns in this regard. When I visited Japan after becoming the Prime Minister, I met a Nobel laureate scientist there. I came to know that he had done a lot of research on sickle cell disease. I also sought his assistance in finding a cure for sickle cell anaemia. Friends, This campaign for freedom from sickle cell anaemia will become the main mission of the ‘Amrit Kaal’. And I believe that when the country celebrates 100 years of independence, we will liberate our tribal families from sickle cell anaemia and free the nation by 2047 by working together in a mission mode. And for this, we all have to fulfill our responsibilities. It is essential that the government, healthcare workers, and tribal communities work together in coordination. Patients with sickle cell anaemia require blood transfusions. Therefore, blood banks are being opened for them. Facilities for bone marrow transplantation are being expanded for their treatment. You are aware of how important it is to screen patients with sickle cell anaemia. Even without any external symptoms, anyone can be a carrier of the sickle cell trait. Unknowingly, such individuals can pass on this disease to their children. Therefore, it is crucial to get tested, undergo screening, and identify carriers. Not getting tested may result in the patient not knowing about this disease for a long time. As Mansukhbhai mentioned earlier, the concept of horoscopes and matching birth charts is prevalent in many families. They match horoscopes and birth charts before marriage. He also said that whether or not you match horoscopes, it is essential to match the report of sickle cell screening, the card that is being provided, and then proceed with the marriage. Friends, That is how we can prevent this disease from passing from one generation to another. Therefore, I urge every individual to participate in the screening campaign, get their card made, and undergo disease testing. The more society takes responsibility for this, the easier it will be to get rid of sickle cell anaemia. Friends, Diseases not only affect an individual, but when someone in a family is ill, it impacts the entire family. When a person falls ill, the whole family gets trapped in the cycle of poverty and helplessness. And in a way, I haven’t come from a very different family than yours. I have reached here through you. That’s why I understand your problems and empathize with them. That’s why our government is working tirelessly to eradicate such serious diseases. These efforts have already shown a decrease in tuberculosis cases in the country. Now, the country is working towards completely eliminating tuberculosis by 2025. Friends, Before our government came into power, there were 11,000 cases of Kala-azar in 2013. Today, that number has reduced to less than a thousand. In 2013, there were 10 lakh cases of malaria, but by 2022, that number had decreased to less than 2 lakhs. In 2013, there were about 1.25 lakh cases of leprosy, but now the number has decreased to around seventy to seventy five thousand. We all know the havoc caused by meningitis in the past. In recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of patients with this disease as well. These are not just figures. When diseases decrease, people are saved from suffering, pain, distress and even death. Brothers and sisters, The effort of our government is not only to reduce the burden of diseases but also to reduce the financial burden associated with them. That’s why we have introduced the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which has reduced the burden on people. Today, in Madhya Pradesh alone, one crore people have been provided with Ayushman cards. If a poor person ever needs to go to the hospital, this card will work like a 5 lakh rupee ATM card in his pocket. Remember, the card you have received today is worth 5 lakh rupees in terms of hospital expenses. If you have this card, no one can refuse you treatment, and they won’t ask for money. And if you face any trouble anywhere in India and you go to a hospital there and show them this guarantee from Modi, they will have to provide you with treatment there as well. This Ayushman Card is a guarantee of 5 lakh rupees for the treatment of the poor, and it is a guarantee from Modi. Brothers and sisters, Under the Ayushman Yojana, treatment has been provided to approximately five crore poor individuals across the country. If the Ayushman Bharat card did not exist, then these poor people would have had to spend more than one lakh crore rupees for the treatment of the disease. Just imagine how many people among them would have lost hope in life. How many families would have had to sell their homes and perhaps their farmland to get medical treatment? But our government has stood by the poor in every difficult situation. This 5 lakh rupee Ayushman Yojana guarantee card is a guarantee of reducing the biggest worry of the poor. And for those who are involved in implementing Ayushman, just take a look at this card – it says free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees. No one has ever given a guarantee of 5 lakh rupees to a poor person in this country. This is the BJP government; this is Modi, who gives you a card with a guarantee of 5 lakh rupees. Friends, In the midst of all this talk of guarantees, you also need to be cautious of those who provide false guarantees. And those individuals who don’t have any guarantees of their own are coming to you with new schemes based on guarantees. Identify the hidden flaws in their guarantees. You should guard against the game of deception they play in the name of false guarantees. Friends, When they guarantee free electricity, it means they are going to increase electricity rates. When they guarantee free travel, it means the transportation system of that state is going to be ruined. When they guarantee increased pensions, it means the employees in that state won’t receive their salaries on time. When they guarantee cheap petrol, it means they are preparing to extract money from your pocket by increasing taxes. When they guarantee increased employment, it means they will bring policies that will devastate the industries and businesses there. The guarantee of parties like Congress implies deceitful intentions and harm to the poor. This is their game. They couldn’t guarantee providing a fulfilling meal to the poor in 70 years. But more than 80 crore people have been guaranteed free rations, and they are receiving it under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. They couldn’t guarantee affordable healthcare to the poor in 70 years. But 50 crore beneficiaries have been guaranteed health insurance under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. They couldn’t guarantee smoke-free lives to women in 70 years. But nearly 10 crore women have been guaranteed smoke-free lives under the Ujjwala Yojana. They couldn’t guarantee the poor to stand on their feet in 70 years. But 8.5 crore people have been guaranteed dignified self-employment under the Mudra Yojana. The meaning of their guarantee is that there is some kind of mischief or deception involved. Today, those who claim to come together, their old statements are going viral on social media. They have always been critical of each other. In other words, there is no guarantee of opposition unity. These dynastic parties have only worked for the welfare of their own families. They don’t have a guarantee to uplift the common people of the country. Those who are accused of corruption are roaming free on bail. Those serving sentences for scams are appearing on the same platform. In other words, they don’t have a guarantee of corruption-free governance. They are making statements against the country in one voice. They are holding meetings with anti-national elements. In other words, they don’t have a guarantee of a terrorism-free India. They will make promises and leave, but you will have to bear the consequences. They will fill their pockets by giving guarantees, but your children will suffer. They will take their families forward by giving guarantees, but the country will have to pay the price. Therefore, you should remain vigilant of political parties, including the Congress, and their guarantees. Friends, The attitude of those who make false guarantees has always been against the tribal communities. In the past, there used to be a big challenge for the youth of tribal communities regarding the language. However, the new National Education Policy now provides the facility of education in the local language. But those who make false guarantees are once again opposing the National Education Policy. They do not want the children of our tribal brothers and sisters to receive education in their own language. They know that if the children of tribals, Dalits, backward classes, and the poor move forward, their vote bank politics will be disrupted. I understand the importance of schools and colleges in tribal areas. That is why our government has provided the opportunity for tribal children to receive residential education in more than 400 Eklavya schools. In Madhya Pradesh alone, there are around 24,000 students studying in such schools. Friends, Previous governments consistently neglected the tribal society. We have established a separate Ministry of Tribal Affairs and made it our priority. We have tripled the budget of this ministry. Previously, those who exploited the forests and land received protection. We have distributed over 20 lakh titles under the Forest Rights Act. Those people played political games in the name of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) PESA Act for so many years. However, we have implemented the PESA Act and given the tribal society their rights. In the past, tribal traditions and artistic skills were mocked. But we have initiated events like the Aadi Mahotsav (Tribal Festival). Friends, In the past nine years, continuous efforts have been made to preserve and enhance tribal pride. Now, the entire country celebrates ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ (National Tribal Pride Day) on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on November 15. Dedicated museums are being established for the freedom fighters of the tribal community in different states of the country. Amidst these efforts, we must not forget the behaviour of previous governments. The attitude of those who ran the government in the country for decades remained insensitive and disrespectful towards the tribal society and the poor. We have witnessed the attitude of several parties when the discussion of making a tribal woman the President of the country came up. The people of Madhya Pradesh have also witnessed their attitude. When the Central Tribal University was opened in Shahdol Division, they named it after their own family, while the government of Shivraj ji named Chhindwara University after the great Gond revolutionary Raja Shankar Shah. They completely neglected heroes like Tantya Mama, but we named Patalpani railway station after Tantya Mama. They also disrespected the family of the great Gond community leader Shri Dalbir Singh ji. We compensated for that and honoured them. The respect for tribal leaders for us is the respect for our tribal youth and the respect for all of you. Friends, We must continue these efforts and accelerate them. And it will be possible only with your cooperation and blessings. I am sure your blessings and the inspiration of Rani Durgavati will continue to guide us like this. Shivraj ji just mentioned that the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati is approaching on 5th October. Today, as I stand amidst you all on this sacred land that witnessed the valour of Rani Durgavati, I announce to the nation that the Indian government will celebrate the 500th birth centenary of Rani Durgavati throughout the country. A film will be made based on the life of Rani Durgavati, a silver coin will be released in her honour, and a postage stamp featuring Rani Durgavati will also be issued. Additionally, an initiative will be launched to spread the inspiration of our revered mother, who was born 500 years ago, to every household in India and the world. Madhya Pradesh will touch new heights of development, and together we will fulfill the dream of a developed India. Right now, I am about to meet with some tribal families here and I am going to get an opportunity to talk to them today. You have come in such large numbers… the Sickle Cell and the Ayushman Card is my big campaign to address the concerns of the future generations. I need your support. We have to free the country from sickle cell, and we have to liberate our tribal families from this crisis. For me, this work is close to my heart, and I need your help in it, I need the support of my tribal families. This is my request to you. Stay healthy and be prosperous. With this wish, many thanks to all of you! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Thanks a lot!