Lok Sabha Question No. 3356 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Setting up of National Tribal Health and Research Institute
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri V K Sreekandan

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3356 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8 th AUGUST, 2025

## SETTING UPOFNATIONAL TRIBALHEALTH AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

## 3356. SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government is considering to set up a National Tribal Health and Research Institute and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also a fact that the Government is considering to develop drugs to manage Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) prevalent among certain tribal populations and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is a fact that over 5.8 crore people were screened for SCD, out of which 2.1 lakh people were found to be having Sickle Cell Disease and over 16.38 lakh people were found positive for SCD traits and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether it is a fact that many tribal people are affected by having Sickle Cell Disease in Attapadi region in the Palakkad district of Kerala and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (d): To eliminate sickle cell disease (SCD), the Government of India has launched National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in the year 2023. The objectives of the Mission are provision of affordable, accessible and quality health care to all Sickle Cell Diseased patients, reduction in the prevalence of SCD through awareness creation, targeted screening of 7 crore people till year 2025-26 in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal population in 365 districts and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and State governments.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) addresses tribal health through the ICMRNational Institute for Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), Jabalpur with focus on research and health interventions for tribal populations. Additionally, ICMR has established a Centre for Research Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies in Chandrapur, Maharashtra which supports national programs including those on sickle cell disease, particularly affecting tribal groups.

MoHFW has devised the cost norms for establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE) on

SCD funded by Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in various states. As on 28.07.2025, 15 CoEs across the country has been approved by MoTA.

Hydroxyurea drugs has been included in National Health Mission (NHM) Essential Drugs List at Sub-Health Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHC)/ Urban PHC, Community Health Centres (CHC) and District Hospitals to address the issue of access to medicine.

As on 28.07.2025, a total of 6,04,50,683 population in the 17 identified tribal dominated States, have been screened out of which, 2,16,118 have been confirmed as diseased and 16,48,252 have Sickle Cell traits.

As informed by Government of Kerala, 8,186 individuals have been screened in Palakkad district, out of which, 67 have been identified as diseased and 1,367 as Sickle Cell Trait carriers.

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