Overview
- Over 5.79 crore people have been screened, identifying 2.09 lakh with sickle cell disease and 16.3 lakh carriers.
- The mission spans 17 states and 278 districts and aims to screen seven crore individuals under age 40 by 2025-26.
- New Centres of Excellence and Competence are being established to boost local diagnostic and treatment capacities.
- Tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh face the highest burden due to prevalence and access barriers.
- Expanded protocols include hydroxyurea distribution, routine monitoring, vaccinations and neonatal screening to curb long-term complications.