Lok Sabha Question No. 2438 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: Prevalence of Anaemia and Sickle Cell Disease
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Tatkare Sunil Dattatrey

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2438 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 th FEBRUARY, 2026

## PREVALENCE OFANAEMIAAND SICKLE CELLDISEASE

## 2438. SHRI TATKARE SUNIL DATTATREY:

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

(a) the specific targets and timelines fixed by the Government under Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) and the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission for reduction in the prevalence of anaemia and sickle cell disease, including baseline year-wise targets;

(b) the budgetary allocation made for Anaemia Mukt Bharat and the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission for the financial year 2025-26 and the details of the component-wise and State-wise proposed utilisation of these funds;

(c) the measures being taken by the Government to strengthen the distribution, coverage and adherence of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation among young children and pregnant women, particularly in Maharashtra; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to scale up screening, including newborn screening, genetic counselling and comprehensive care for sickle cell anaemia in high-burden districts and if so, the details thereof along with the monitoring and evaluation framework being used by the Ministry to assess the impact of such interventions?

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

(a) to (d): The Government of India implements Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in a life cycle approach across the country, including the State of Maharashtra, to reduce prevalence of anaemia among six beneficiaries - children (6-59 months), children (5-9 years), adolescents (10-19 years), pregnant and lactating women and in women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) in life cycle approach through implementation of six interventions via robust institutional mechanism. These six interventions include Prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, Deworming, Intensified Behavioural Change Communication campaign, Testing for anaemia and treatment as per anaemia management protocols, mandatory provision of IFA fortified food in public health programmes and addressing non nutritional causes of anaemia especially malaria, fluorosis and hemoglobinopathies.

Under National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), screenings in the targeted age group of 0-40 years are conducted at all health facilities from District Hospitals (DH) upto Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level in affected 17 tribal states for diagnosis of

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). As per SCD portal, more than 6.83 crore screenings have been conducted in tribal dominated areas of the country as on 03.02.2026. A total of 2,37,981 individuals have been identified as diseased and 19,32,500 as carriers, as on 03.02.2026.

State/UT-wise State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP) approvals and expenditure for Anaemia Mukt Bharat and Blood Services & Disorders including Sickle Cell Anaemia under National Health Mission (NHM) for F.Y. 2025-26 in the country is at Annexure .

Hydroxyurea has been included in NHM Essential Drugs List at all health facilities to address the issue of access to medicine. Patients living with SCD are provided with the following services/ facilities for improving their quality of life through AAM- Sub Health Centres (SHC) and AAM- Primary Health Centres (PHCs):

- 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.
- Conducting yoga and wellness sessions.
- Management of crisis symptoms and referral to higher facilities.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has devised the cost norms for establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE) on SCD funded by Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in various states. 17 CoEs in 15 states have been approved 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.

Under NHM, the performance of various health programmes is regularly assessed, through review meetings, mid-term reviews of key deliverables, field visits of senior officials, promoting performance by setting up benchmarks for service delivery & rewarding achievements etc. Common Review Missions (CRM) are conducted annually to assess and monitor the progress and implementation status of various schemes.

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Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2438 for reply on 13.02.2026

Annexure State/UT-wise SPIP Approval and Expenditure for Blood Services & Disorders and Anaemia Mukt Bharat under NHM for F.Y. 2025-26

(Rs. in Lakhs)

| S.No.   | State/UT                           | Anaemia Mukt Bharat   | Anaemia Mukt Bharat   | Blood Services &Disorders   | Blood Services &Disorders   |
|---------|------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| S.No.   | State/UT                           | SPIPApproval          | Expenditure           | SPIP Approval               | Expenditure                 |
| 1       | Andaman and Nicobar Islands        | 53.77                 | 15.07                 | 54.61                       | 1.47                        |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh                     | 9,188.34              | 2,601.39              | 1522.34                     | 1595.61                     |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh                  | 1,680.52              | 86.70                 | 173.73                      | 36.17                       |
| 4       | Assam                              | 2,984.23              | 368.18                | 1818.51                     | 76.84                       |
| 5       | Bihar                              | 11,301.80             | 4,652.66              | 1750.88                     | 1112.63                     |
| 6       | Chandigarh                         | 4.16                  | 0.12                  | 4.64                        | 2.82                        |
| 7       | Chhattisgarh                       | 5,550.65              | 853.47                | 6612.69                     | 316.79                      |
| 8       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu | 74.51                 | 8.44                  | 7.50                        | 0.00                        |
| 9       | Delhi                              | 1,141.12              | 148.73                | 2714.35                     | 0.00                        |
| 10      | Goa                                | 114.05                | 11.68                 | 0.00                        | 0.00                        |
| 11      | Gujarat                            | 8,394.39              | 1,070.56              | 1857.16                     | 88.61                       |
| 12      | Haryana                            | 2,469.05              | 221.22                | 380.05                      | 6.44                        |
| 13      | Himachal Pradesh                   | 804.50                | 96.67                 | 294.50                      | 112.44                      |
| 14      | Jammu and Kashmir                  | 1,327.57              | 136.99                | 489.99                      | 0.64                        |
| 15      | Jharkhand                          | 9,298.37              | 2,605.34              | 1730.98                     | 1169.52                     |
| 16      | Karnataka                          | 2,070.06              | 131.89                | 4106.18                     | 1116.55                     |
| 17      | Kerala                             | 2,512.75              | 620.13                | 5521.39                     | 4599.98                     |
| 18      | Ladakh                             | 58.44                 | 15.36                 | 32.55                       | 0.46                        |
| 19      | Lakshadweep                        | 9.42                  | 0.85                  | 2.10                        | 0.00                        |
| 20      | Madhya Pradesh                     | 11,397.15             | 1,361.12              | 6406.08                     | 12415.14                    |
| 21      | Maharashtra                        | 10,308.58             | 724.73                | 12860.55                    | 2160.70                     |
| 22      | Manipur                            | 934.69                | 50.03                 | 510.06                      | 240.31                      |
| 23      | Meghalaya                          | 928.50                | 90.96                 | 353.27                      | 63.94                       |
| 24      | Mizoram                            | 268.89                | 27.41                 | 30.61                       | 7.11                        |
| 25      | Nagaland                           | 438.48                | 130.78                | 110.90                      | 0.00                        |
| 26      | Odisha                             | 2,636.93              | 1,345.31              | 5401.05                     | 1494.28                     |
| 27      | Puducherry                         | 206.76                | 32.67                 | 17.66                       | 0.00                        |
| 28      | Punjab                             | 2,434.81              | 45.78                 | 7554.84                     | 0.20                        |
| 29      | Rajasthan                          | 7,981.26              | 203.33                | 7690.83                     | 375.38                      |
| 30      | Sikkim                             | 80.95                 | 23.67                 | 9.01                        | 3.83                        |
| 31      | Tamil Nadu                         | 600.25                | 158.66                | 7432.68                     | 5098.18                     |
| 32      | Telangana                          | 4,586.60              | -                     | 4640.75                     | 0.00                        |
| 33      | Tripura                            | 823.57                | 201.36                | 36.31                       | 36.29                       |
| 34      | Uttar Pradesh                      | 31,418.36             | 681.82                | 42749.12                    | 291.72                      |
| 35      | Uttarakhand                        | 1,862.52              | 87.58                 | 610.53                      | 825.82                      |
| 36      | West Bengal                        | 6,941.85              | 1,390.24              | 8162.51                     | 1993.58                     |

Note:

1. The above data is as per available FMRs as submitted by States/UTs and is provisional.

2. Expenditure includes expenditure against Central Release, State release & unspent balances at the beginning of the year. Expenditure is as per FMRs submitted by States/UTs and is provisional. The expenditure w.r.t. flexible pool for RCH, etc. is updated up-to 30.11.2025 except for Punjab (updated upto 31.07.2025), Haryana, Delhi, Lakshadweep (updated upto 31.08.2025), Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa (updated upto 30.09.2025) & Tamil Nadu (updated upto 31.10.2025).