Context: 

India is the second affected country in terms of predicted births with Sickle cell anaemia  i.e. chances of being born with the condition.

About Sickle cell anaemia: 

• Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the production of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. 
• Abnormal Shape: People with sickle cell anaemia have abnormal haemoglobin that causes their red blood cells to become rigid and shaped like a crescent or sickle. 
• These abnormally shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, causing a variety of complications.
• Some of the common symptoms of sickle cell anaemia include:
  •  anaemia, pain crisis, fatigue, jaundice, delayed growth, and increased susceptibility to infections.
• Occurence: It is most commonly found in people of African descent, but it can also occur in people of Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean descent.

Impact in India:

• Vulnerable Tribal Population: Research and screening programmes have found that the prevalence of haemoglobinopathies — disorders of the blood — is more common among tribal populations than non tribal communities in India. 
• Impact of Malaria: Research has shown that SCA is prevalent in communities residing in areas where malaria is endemic.
• Endogamy: Additionally, the documented prevalence of SCA is higher in communities that practise endogamy, as the chances of having two parents with sickle cell trait is higher.

Cure:

• Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disorder, making complete “elimination” a challenge that requires major scientific breakthroughs. 
• The only cure comes in the form of gene therapy and stem cell transplants — both costly and still in developmental stages. 
• Blood transfusion, wherein red blood cells are removed from donated blood and given to a patient, is also a trusted treatment in the absence of permanent cures. 

What has India done so far? 

• The Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Rural Health Mission in different States are undertaking outreach programmes for better management and control of the disease. 
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a portal wherein people can register themselves if they have the disease or the trait, in order to collate all information related to SCA among tribal groups. 
• In the Budget, the Union Health Minister said the government plans to distribute “special cards” across tribal areas to people below the age of 40.                                                                                                                               

News Source: The Hindu