Lok Sabha Question No. 300 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Awareness Campaigns on Sickle Cell Disease
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH AUGUST, 2025

## AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON SICKLE CELLDISEASE

## *300. DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware about the number of people suffering from sickle cell disease in the country and if so, the details thereof, States/UTs-wise including Maharashtra;
- (b) the current status of treatment facilities, progress of screening and counselling services of the said disease in the country, States/UTs-wise;
- (c) whether the Government is establishing Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sickle cell disease in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has organised awareness campaigns to address the sickle cell disease and encourage people to get a timely diagnosis of the disease and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether any grant is being provided to interested people/voluntary Organisations for conducting public awareness programmes on the symptoms and treatment of the said disease and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of efforts made by the Government to provide easy and accessible treatment facility for the patients of the said disease in remote/tribal areas across the country including Palghar district of Maharashtra?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

- (a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 FOR 8 TH AUGUST, 2025

(a) to (f): To eliminate Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM) has been launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister from Madhya Pradesh on 1st July, 2023. The objectives of the Mission are provision of affordable, accessible and quality 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 districts of tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and State governments. Under NSCAEM, screenings are conducted at all health facilities from District Hospitals upto Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level. As on 28.07.2025, a total of 6,04,50,683 population in the 17 identified tribal dominated States including Maharashtra, have been screened, out of which 2,16,118 have been confirmed as diseased. State-wise details of patients identified through screening in the affected States including Maharashtra is attached as Annexure-I.

Under NSCAEM, screenings are conducted at all health facilities from District Hospitals upto Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level across the country including Maharashtra and remote/tribal areas. Patients living with SCD are provided with the following services/ facilities for improving their quality of life through AAMs;

-  Follow-up of diseased individuals at frequent intervals.
-  Counseling regarding lifestyle management, pre-marriage and pre-natal decisions.
-  Nutritional supplementation support through distribution of folic acid tablets.
-  Management of crisis symptoms and referral to higher facilities.
-  Conducting yoga and wellness sessions.

As on 28.07.2025, a total of 2,62,67,997 genetic counselling ID cards have been distributed in the country.

Hydroxyurea 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. Under NHM, financial support is provided for the procurement of Hydroxyurea, to reduce the out-of-pocket expenditure borne by sickle cell anaemia patients.

MoHFW has issued guidelines for cost norms for establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE) on SCD funded by Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in various states. As on date, 15 CoEs have been approved in the country by MoTA.

Through MoTA, awareness and counseling material have been developed and disseminated to the States & UTs. Through monthly Ayushman Arogya Shivirs, awareness is raised for various health programmes including SCD.

This Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs for conducting screenings and procurement of drugs for sickle cell anaemia, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission (NHM).

Under NHM, Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) provide healthcare services across the country including remote/tribal areas. As on 31.07.2025, 3.38 lakh screenings conducted through MMUs for SCD have been conducted in the country including 6,695 screenings in Palghar district of Maharashtra.

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## Annexure-I

| Total no. of diseased identified through screening in the affected States, as on 28.07.2025   | Total no. of diseased identified through screening in the affected States, as on 28.07.2025   | Total no. of diseased identified through screening in the affected States, as on 28.07.2025   | Total no. of diseased identified through screening in the affected States, as on 28.07.2025   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| State Name                                                                                    | Total conducted                                                                               | Screenings Total patients identified                                                          |                                                                                               |
| ANDHRAPRADESH                                                                                 | 13,22,033                                                                                     | 2,169                                                                                         |                                                                                               |
| ASSAM                                                                                         | 10,73,410                                                                                     | 286                                                                                           |                                                                                               |
| BIHAR                                                                                         | 2,18,316                                                                                      | 8                                                                                             |                                                                                               |
| CHHATTISGARH                                                                                  | 1,54,40,569                                                                                   | 26,160                                                                                        |                                                                                               |
| GUJARAT                                                                                       | 77,34,861                                                                                     | 28,178                                                                                        |                                                                                               |
| JHARKHAND                                                                                     | 26,86,659                                                                                     | 2,145                                                                                         |                                                                                               |
| KARNATAKA                                                                                     | 3,49,319                                                                                      | 579                                                                                           |                                                                                               |
| KERALA                                                                                        | 1,76,690                                                                                      | 1,469                                                                                         |                                                                                               |
| MADHYAPRADESH                                                                                 | 1,12,42,861                                                                                   | 30,762                                                                                        |                                                                                               |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                                                   | 72,02,439                                                                                     | 23,258                                                                                        |                                                                                               |
| ODISHA                                                                                        | 45,46,309                                                                                     | 96,484                                                                                        |                                                                                               |
| RAJASTHAN                                                                                     | 37,06,003                                                                                     | 2,735                                                                                         |                                                                                               |
| TAMILNADU                                                                                     | 3,76,357                                                                                      | 476                                                                                           |                                                                                               |
| TELANGANA                                                                                     | 10,71,585                                                                                     | 488                                                                                           |                                                                                               |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                                                                 | 7,63,236                                                                                      | 32                                                                                            |                                                                                               |
| UTTARAKHAND                                                                                   | 1,53,171                                                                                      | 6                                                                                             |                                                                                               |
| WEST BENGAL                                                                                   | 23,86,865                                                                                     | 883                                                                                           |                                                                                               |
| Total                                                                                         | 6,04,50,683                                                                                   | 2,16,118                                                                                      |                                                                                               |