The Union Health Ministry has announced that six crore individuals have been screened for sickle cell disease (SCD) under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, approaching the national target of seven crore screenings.
According to the ministry, 2.15 lakh individuals were diagnosed with sickle cell disease, while 16.7 lakh were identified as carriers. Additionally, 2.6 crore health cards have been distributed across participating states to those who underwent screening.
States showing significant progress in screening include Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand. However, the highest incidence of confirmed cases has emerged from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
The screening process is being carried out using validated point-of-care testing (POCT) kits, which deliver rapid and reliable results. A centralised data dashboard and dedicated SCD portal have also been developed to track screening progress and manage case data efficiently.
The Health Ministry said that efforts will now focus on intensifying screening to meet the remaining target, along with providing counselling and follow-up for those diagnosed as patients or carriers.
The National Sickle Cell Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 1, 2023, in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, with the long-term objective to eliminate sickle cell anaemia in India by 2047. The initiative targets universal screening of seven crore people aged 0–40 years—especially in tribal and high-risk regions—by FY 2025–26, in coordination with central ministries and state governments.
This mission marks a pivotal step in addressing a genetic disorder that disproportionately affects tribal populations and often leads to severe health complications if undiagnosed or untreated.
