Lok Sabha Question No. 1119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Cases of Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassemia
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1119 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH DECEMBER, 2025

## CASES OF SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA AND THALASSEMIA

## 1119. DR. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of registered patients of sickle cell anaemia and Thalassemia in Maharashtra particularly in districts Dhule and Nashik along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to assess the condition, district/disease-wise;

(b) whether medicines and facilities for treatment of sickle cell disease in Primary Health Centres of Dhule and Nashik are insufficient and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure availability of these medicines and facilities;

(d) whether there is any scheme to organise free camps for the treatment of sickle cell disease in rural areas and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) the time by which special wards and specialist doctors are likely to be appointed for same in each district/tehsil hospitals of the State; and

(f) whether the Government is contemplating to launch any financial assistance scheme for the relief of the poor patients and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (f): As per Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) portal, a total of 26,007 SCD patients have been identified in Maharashtra including 128 in Nashik and 762 in Dhule Districts, as on 31.10.2025. Further, a total of 344 individuals have been identified with Thalassemia in Maharashtra, including 3 cases in Dhule and none in Nashik, till 31.10.2025.

This Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs for conducting screenings, counselling & awareness camps, procurement of drugs, blood transfusion services for sickle cell anaemia, prevention and management of Thalassemia, provision of Blood Bank facilities, Day Care Centre, Medicines, Lab services, training of human resource, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission (NHM).

Under National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), screenings are conducted at all health facilities from District Hospitals (DH) upto Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level across the country for diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease.

Hydroxyurea has been included in NHM Essential Drugs List at Sub Health Centres (SHC), Primary Health Centres (PHCs)/ Urban PHCs, Community Health Centres (CHC) and DH to address the issue of access to medicine. To monitor the drug procurement and ensure the availability of essential medicines in public health facilities, Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) has been launched by the Govt. of India.

Patients living with SCD are provided with the following services/ facilities for improving their quality of life through AAM- SHC and AAM- 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.

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.

The Government of India has introduced a range of measures to encourage doctors and specialists to serve in rural and remote areas i.e. Hard Area Allowance, flexibility for States to offer negotiable salaries like 'You Quote We Pay' etc. Further, as informed by Government of Maharashtra, Hemoglobinopathy Day care Centres are operational in all districts of Maharashtra including Nashik and Dhule with trained medical officers deployed at these centres.

This Ministry, in association with Coal India Limited (CIL), is implementing a scheme namely Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY) wherein financial assistance up to Rs.10 lakh is provided to eligible patients for Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT) from CIL Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. Further, as per Government of Maharashtra, treatment of thalassemia is also available free of cost under Rajiv Gandhi Jivandayi Yojna to the patients having annual income of Rs. 1 Lakh and BPL patients.

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