29 Oct 2024        15:29:33 pm

Biology

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Tags : Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Topic: Diseases

Why in the news?

• As many as 40 tribal people have tested positive for sickle cell disease (SCD) in Chamarajanagar, which has a significant tribal population.
• According to authorities concerned, among 65 suspected cases, sickle cell disease was confirmed in 40 primitive tribal people. 

Source: The Times of India

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD):

• It is an inherited haemoglobin disorder characterized by a genetic mutation that causes red blood cells (RBCs) to assume a sickle or crescent shape rather than their normal round shape.
• This abnormality in RBCs results in increased rigidity, impairing their ability to circulate effectively throughout the body. Consequently, individuals with SCD often experience complications such as anaemia, organ damage, recurrent and severe pain episodes, and a shortened lifespan.
• As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, marginalized tribal populations are most vulnerable to SCD.
• Symptoms: 
  • Chronic anaemia which leads to fatigue, weakness, and paleness.
  • Painful episodes (also known as sickle cell crisis) cause sudden and intense pain in the bones, chest, back, arms, and legs.
  • Delayed growth and puberty.
• Treatment Processes:
  • Blood Transfusions: These can help relieve anaemia and reduce the risk of pain crises.
  • Hydroxyurea: This medication can help reduce the frequency of painful episodes and prevent some of the disease\'s long-term complications.
  • Gene Therapy: It can also be treated by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation by methods like Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR).

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission:

• It was announced as part of the Union Budget 2023.
• Vision: Eliminate sickle cell disease (SCD) as a public health problem in India before 2047.
• The overall aim is to enable access to affordable and quality health care to all SCD patients, and to lower the prevalence through awareness, change of practices and screening interventions.
• The mission will entail awareness creation, universal screening of seven crore people in the 0-40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.
• Initially, the focus shall be on 17 states with higher prevalence of SCD viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.

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