A move initiated by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda has set a new record. As many as one crore people have been screened for Sickle Cell Disease.

The Sickle Cell is a common disease among tribals. Even the son of Arjun Munda who led to the launch of National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination is suffering from it.

The Mission endeavours to screen a 7 crore population in 3 years. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disease. It affects the whole life of the affected patient. It is more common in the tribal population of India but occurs in non-tribals too. 

The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was launched by the Prime Minister on 1st July 2023 at Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. The program is being carried out in a mission mode for screening, prevention, and management of sickle cell anemia in all tribal and other highly prevalent areas States/UTs of India. 

The focus is on 278 districts of 17 states with higher prevalence of SCD viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.