World Tribal Day 2024: Over 7 lakh tribal population carrier of sickle cell

As the world celebrates International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2024 on Aug 9, 14 tribal districts of Gujarat still await the eradication of sickle cell anaemia. 

Since 2006, the state government has been trying to control the rampant disease but the desired result has not been achieved. Currently, there are 7.36 lakh carriers of sickle cell and 32,000 registered patients.

This International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2024 is focusing on ‘Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact’.  

There are a total of 1.03 crore tribal population in the state. Under the anaemia control programme, in the screening 1.03 crore tribal population, 7.36 lakh sickle cell carriers were found and a total number of cases reached 32,333.

Last year, a sickle cell eradication campaign was started in 17 states across the country, involving Data-driven testing (DDT) in primary screening and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for confirmation. Counsellors in Anganwadis, schools and colleges located in 14 tribal districts conducted screening tests.

A total of 1,03,15,900 people were screened in districts including Arvalli, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Narmada, Chhotaudepur, Dahod, Dang, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha, Surat, Valsad and Tapi.

In these districts, there are a total of 2,778 health centres including 421 primary health centres and 85 public health centres.

Sickle cell anaemia is a hereditary health problem caused by haemoglobin deficiency, in which the shape of red blood cells becomes like a sickle due to defective haemoglobin in the blood cells. This is a genetic disease which spreads from one patient to the next generation.

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World Sickle Cell Day: Gujarat screens over 17 lakh in last five years