SICKLE
CELL DISEASE – SCI & TECH
News:
How subpar treatment
options allow sickle cell disease to persist | Explained
What's
in the news?
●
With essential drugs for Sickle Cell
Disease (SCD) treatment unavailable at district healthcare institutions,
there’s a rising worry regarding the hurdles encountered by marginalized
Indigenous Tribal communities in handling SCD treatment.
Sickle
Cell Disease (SCD):
●
It is a hereditary haemoglobin disorder characterized by a genetic mutation causing red blood
cells (RBCs) to take on a sickle or crescent shape rather than their normal
round shape.
●
This alteration leads to increased
rigidity, hindering effective circulation and resulting in complications such
as anaemia, organ damage, severe pain episodes and reduced lifespan.
Vulnerability
of Tribal Populations:
●
Marginalized tribal communities are
particularly susceptible to SCD, as highlighted by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.
Common
Symptoms:
●
Symptoms include chronic anaemia leading
to fatigue and weakness, painful episodes (sickle cell crisis) affecting bones
and extremities and delayed growth and puberty.
Treatment
Approaches:
●
Blood
Transfusions: Used to alleviate anaemia and reduce pain
crises.
●
Hydroxyurea:
Medication aimed at decreasing painful episodes and preventing long-term
complications.
●
Gene
Therapy: Includes bone marrow or stem cell transplantation,
with methods like Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
(CRISPR) being explored.
India’s
Sickle Cell Disease Status:
●
India ranks third globally in SCD births,
with a significant portion occurring in tribal communities.
Government
Initiatives:
●
National
Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission: Aims at reducing disease
prevalence through screening and awareness campaigns.
●
National
Health Mission (NHM): Focuses on raising awareness and
facilitating early detection and treatment.
●
Research
Initiatives: Including gene-editing therapies and stem
cell research for SCD treatment.
●
State-Level
Programs: Such as the State Haemoglobinopathy Mission of Madhya
Pradesh, targeting screening and management challenges.