Mission to combat sickle cell anaemia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district Saturday.

The PM said that the nation is taking a big pledge of securing the lives of the people from tribal communities and saving the lives of 2.5 lakh children and families affected by the disease.

He also said that no attention was paid towards the issue of sickle cell anaemia for the past 70 years.

The Prime Minister launched the mission in a programme which honoured Rani Durgavati, the ruling queen of Gondwana in the mid-16th century and said that the biggest beneficiaries of the two major efforts are the people of Gond, Bhil and other Adivasi societies.

In the event, PM Modi also kick started the distribution of about 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh. The PM said that about 5 crore patients have availed free treatment under the Ayushman Scheme, in the entire country, saving more than one lakh crore rupees of patients.