World Sickle Cell Day also known as World Sickle Cell Awareness Day is annually observed across the globe on June 19 to raise awareness and recognize sickle cell anaemia as a public health problem and promote education about this genetic condition.
- World Sickle Cell Awareness Day is recognized by the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The theme of World Sickle Cell Day 2024 is ‘Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Globally’, announced by the Global Alliance of Sickle Cell Disease Organizations (GASCDO), highlights the importance of advanced technology in identifying Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
Background:
World Sickle Cell Day was first organised by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the year 2008 and was first celebrated on 19th June 2009.
Facts of SCD:
i.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SCD is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States of America (USA), affecting approximately 1,00,000 Americans.
ii.It primarily affects people of African descent, with one in every 365 African American newborns diagnosed with the disease.
World Sickle Cell Day 2024 Observance in India:
i.On the occasion of World Sickle Cell Day 2024, the National Conclave for awareness generation on SCD was organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and the knowledge partner Birsa Munda Centre, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi at New Delhi, Delhi to create awareness and halt intergenerational transmission of SCD
- Union Minister Shri Jual Oram, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) presided over as the chief guest and Minister of State (MoS) for Tribal Affairs D.D. Uikey as the guest of honour at the event.
ii.Jharkhand’s Khunti district has announced a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for the first time for the people suffering from sickle cell anaemia under the Swami Vivekananda Nishakt Swavlamban Protsahan Scheme.
About Mission for Elimination of SCD by 2047:
i.On July 1 2023, The Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi has launched the ‘National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCEM)’ at Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh (MP), marking the beginning of the Government of India’s ‘Mission for Elimination of SCD by 2047’.
- It is a sub mission of National Health Mission (NHM).
ii.The programme is being carried out for screening, prevention, and management of sickle cell anaemia in all tribal and other high prevalent areas States/ Union Territories (UTs) of India.
iii.So far, more than 3 crore people have been screened for Sickle Cell Disease under NSCEM.
Note: According to a 2023 report by DKMS BMST, a non-governmental organisation, about 20 million people in India are diagnosed with SCD or sickle cell disease.
About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD):
i.SCD is an inherited blood disorder in which the red blood cells become rigid and sickle-shaped, leading to slower blood flow in the various parts of the body. It also affects the oxygen flow inside our body.
ii.As a result, one can also develop anaemia and the condition is known as sickle cell anaemia.
iii.There is no cure for sickle cell anaemia so far but the treatments can relieve pain and help avoid complications.
- The treatment includes antibiotics, intravenous fluid administration, routine blood transfusions, etc.
iv.For symptomatic individuals, Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) is the only curative option.
Symptoms:
i.People who are suffering from SCD have the following symptoms like the haemoglobin is abnormal, which causes the red blood cells to become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a ‘sickle’.
ii.The sickle cells die early causing a shortage of red blood cells and clog the blood flow thereby leading to shortness of breath, delayed growth and development, fatigue.
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director-General (DG) – Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
