Andhra Pradeshhas launched a comprehensive sickle cell anaemia screening programme in the tribal pockets of the state.
This will cover about 20 lakh tribal Population aged under 40 years in Alluri Seetharama Raju, Parvathipuram-Manyam, Srikakulam, Eluru, etc.districts in the state. This is the first such comprehensive testing programme launched in the state for SCD. Of the 53,000 people screened for the condition in 2022-23, 178 patients were tested positive for it. At this rate, it is estimated that about 10,000 people are likely to have SCD traits.
According to experts, the unrestrained consanguineous marriage culture is further driving the SCD in the tribal parts of the state. Researchers have long been advocating the public, in these tribal parts, to screen themselves for SCD gene before marriages and not to go for consanguineous marriages if they are the carrier of the gene.