Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addresses Lok Sabha question 300 regarding sickle cell disease (SCD) awareness and treatment. Launched on July 1, 2023, the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM) aims to eliminate SCD through awareness, screening, and affordable care. The mission targets screening 7 crore people aged 0-40 in affected tribal areas by 2025-26. As of July 28, 2025, over 6 crore people have been screened, identifying over 2 lakh cases.
Key Points / Main Content:
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM):
* Launched on July 1, 2023, to eliminate SCD.
* Aims to provide affordable, accessible, and quality care.
* Focuses on reducing SCD prevalence through awareness.
* Targets screening 7 crore people (0-40 years) in affected tribal districts by 2025-26.
Screening and Counselling:
* Screenings conducted at health facilities from District Hospitals to Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level.
* 6,04,50,683 people screened in 17 tribal-dominated states by 28.07.2025.
* 2,16,118 individuals confirmed with the disease.
* 2,62,67,997 genetic counselling ID cards distributed.
Patient Care and Support:
* Follow-up of diseased individuals at frequent intervals through AAMs.
* Counseling on lifestyle management, pre-marriage, and prenatal decisions.
* Nutritional supplementation via folic acid tablets.
* Yoga and wellness sessions.
* Management of crisis symptoms and referral to higher facilities.
Treatment and Medication:
* Hydroxyurea included in the National Health Mission (NHM) Essential Drugs List.
* Financial support provided under NHM for Hydroxyurea procurement.
Centres of Excellence (CoE):
* Guidelines issued for establishing CoEs on SCD, funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).
* 15 CoEs approved in the country by MoTA to date.
Awareness and Outreach:
* Awareness and counseling material developed and disseminated through MoTA.
* Awareness raised through monthly Ayushman Arogya Shivirs.
* Technical and financial support provided to States/UTs for screenings and drug procurement under NHM.
* Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) provide healthcare services, including SCD screenings.
* 3.38 lakh screenings conducted through MMUs, including 6,695 in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
Impact Analysis:
Citizens in Affected Tribal Areas:
* Impact: Increased awareness, access to screening, counseling, and treatment for SCD.
* Action Required: Participate in screening programs and utilize available healthcare services.
State Governments/UTs:
* Impact: Need to implement NSCAEM guidelines, conduct screenings, and procure necessary drugs.
* Action Required: Submit Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to request technical and financial support under NHM.
Healthcare Providers (District Hospitals, AAMs, etc.):
* Impact: Increased workload related to SCD screening, counseling, and patient management.
* Action Required: Conduct screenings, provide counseling services, distribute medication (Hydroxyurea), and refer patients to higher facilities when necessary.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA):
* Impact: Funding and support for establishing Centres of Excellence and developing awareness material.
* Action Required: Continue to fund and support the establishment of CoEs and disseminate awareness materials to States/UTs.
National Health Mission (NHM):
* Impact: Channel for providing financial and technical support for SCD-related activities.
* Action Required: Provide financial support for drug procurement and oversee program implementation at the state level.
Key Entities Referenced
Sickle Cell Disease: A genetic blood disorder that the Government is addressing through various initiatives.
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM): A mission launched by the Prime Minister to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease in India.
Maharashtra: One of the states affected by Sickle Cell Disease, with specific screening and treatment programs.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW): The government ministry responsible for health policies and programs, including those related to Sickle Cell Disease.
Madhya Pradesh: The state where the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was launched.
Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM): Health facilities where screenings are conducted under NSCAEM.
National Health Mission (NHM): A government program that provides financial and technical support for sickle cell anaemia screenings and treatment.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA): A government ministry funding the establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE) on SCD in various states.
GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
STARREDQUESTION NO. 300
TO BE ANSWEREDON THE 8THAUGUST,2025
AWARENESSCAMPAIGNS ONSICKLE CELLDISEASE
*300.DR. HEMANTVISHNU SAVARA:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware about the number of people suffering from sickle cell
disease inthe countryandif so, the detailsthereof,States/UTs-wise includingMaharashtra;
(b) the current status of treatment facilities, progress of screening and counselling services of
the said disease inthe country, States/UTs-wise;
(c) whether the Government is establishing Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sickle cell disease
inthe countryandif 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
andif so, the detailsthereof;
(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
Palghardistrict of Maharashtra?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIJAGATPRAKASH NADDA)
(a) to(f) AStatementislaidonthe Tableof the House.STATEMENTREFERRED TOIN REPLYTO LOK SABHA
STARREDQUESTION NO. 300FOR8THAUGUST, 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
includingMaharashtra isattached asAnnexure-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 improvingtheirqualityof life through AAMs;
Follow-upof diseased individualsat frequent intervals.
Counseling regardinglifestyle management, pre-marriage andpre-nataldecisions.
Nutritional supplementationsupport through distribution of folic acidtablets.
Conductingyoga andwellness sessions.
Management of crisis symptoms andreferral tohigher facilities.
As on 28.07.2025, a total of 2,62,67,997 genetic counselling ID cards have been
distributed inthe 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) andDistrict Hospitals toaddress the issue of accessto medicine.Under NHM,
financial support isprovided for the procurement of Hydroxyurea, toreduce the out-of-pocket
expenditure borne bysickle cell anaemiapatients.
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
ondate,15CoEshave beenapprovedin the countrybyMoTA.
Through MoTA, awareness and counseling material have been developed and
disseminated to the States & UTs. Through monthly Ayushman Arogya Shivirs, awareness is
raised for varioushealthprogrammes includingSCD.
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
HealthMission (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
Palghardistrict of Maharashtra.
****Annexure-I
Total no.of diseasedidentified through screeningintheaffected States,ason28.07.2025
StateName Total ScreeningsTotal patientsidentified
conducted
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
WESTBENGAL 23,86,865 883
Total 6,04,50,683 2,16,118