Prime Minister, Narendra Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission (NSCEM) in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh stating -

“Sickle Cell Disease is a disease that impacts tribal sections of societies significantly. The government is committed to eliminate the disease before India celebrates it’s Amrit Kaal in 2047.”

The PM addressed the gathering, stating that today marked a landmark in Shahdol. With the initiative of NSCEM and the distribution of Ayushman Bharat cards, the country comes closer to prioritizing the health of tribal communities. PM mentioned that he has been working with tribal communities since before he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat and understands the debilitating impact the disease has on the human body.

PM Modi emphasized the need for everyone to contribute to eliminating the disease, whether it be the government, the health worker, or the citizens themselves. He further stated  -

“The National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission takes a comprehensive approach towards combating sickle cell disease as the impact of a disease is not felt by the patient alone, but by the whole family. NSCEM combines both screening and awareness strategies to ensure early detection and treatment while promoting education about the disease as people may not be aware that they suffer from this disease, and may unintentionally transfer it to the next generation, hence the role of screening becomes even more important in this regard.”

He emphasized the efforts taken by the government to reduce the impact of diseases in the country.

• The decline in Kala Azar cases from 11,000 in 2013 to under 1000 today.
• The decline in malaria cases from 10 lakh in 2013 to under 2 lakh today.
• The decline in leprosy cases from 1.25 lakh to 70-75 thousand.
• The government is determined to eliminate the spread of tuberculosis by 2025.

The Prime Minister actively launched the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission and released the guidelines for the mission. Additionally, he launched training modules for primary, secondary, and tertiary care, which encompassed medical officers, staff nurses, Community Health Officers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, and Accredited Social Health Activist workers. Furthermore, he released an awareness module for Sickle Cell Disease targeted at Non-Health Functionaries, Parents, and Teachers, along with a counselling module for patients, caregivers, and pregnant women.

At the event, the Prime Minister actively handed over Sickle Cell Genetic Status Cards to beneficiaries. Furthermore, he launched the distribution of approximately 3.57 crore digital cards to Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) beneficiaries, with 1 crore physical cards being distributed to the beneficiaries in Madhya Pradesh.