NEW DELHI: The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM) is aimed at tackling the genetic disorder to ensure equity and dignity to the people affected, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, the PMO lauded a media article by Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on NSCAEM, aiming for a Sickle Cell Disease-free India by 2047.
“From tackling a genetic disorder to ensuring equity and dignity, India’s National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission marks a new era in public health, ” the PMO India posted on the social media platform X.
Sickle Cell Disease is a chronic, single-gene disorder that causes a debilitating systemic syndrome characterised by chronic anaemia, acute painful episodes, organ infarction, and chronic organ damage, significantly reducing life expectancy.
The genetic blood disorder affects the entire life of the patient, as it leads to various severe health complications.
“India's fight against sickle cell anaemia is not just about addressing a genetic disorder, it is a commitment to equity, dignity and the health of our nation's most marginalised communities, ” Nadda shared on X.
Calling NSCAEM a “landmark initiative”, the Union Health Minister said it not only aims “to stop the transmission of sickle cell disease but also to restore dignity and health to millions living with this condition”.
To eliminate the disease, the NSCAEM was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2023.