Everyone’s cooperation is necessary to eliminate sickle cell: Governor Shri Patel
Bhopal: Governor Shri Mangubhai Patel has said that everyone’s cooperation is necessary to eliminate sickle cell. Sickle cell disease will be eradicated only with the cooperation of the government and society. The government is doing a good job in sickle cell testing, treatment, medicine and distribution of genetic cards. Society will also have to come forward. In the year 2047, no child should be born with sickle cell disease. To achieve this goal, every person will have to join in the eradication of sickle cell with the feeling “Let me also contribute”. He praised the establishment of DNA sequencer machine laboratory in the efforts of BMHRC to eradicate sickle cell, calling it a positive initiative.
Governor Shri Patel was addressing a seminar on sickle cell organized at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center. The seminar was organized by the institute on the occasion of inauguration of Genetic Analysis Laboratory. Earlier, Governor Shri Patel inaugurated and visited the Genetic Analysis Laboratory. Provided kits to patients. Inaugurated the publication of directory from the Competence Center of BMHRC.
Governor Shri Patel said that every person can cooperate in eliminating sickle cell. Efforts will have to be made that sickle cell patients do not marry each other, because their children will be 100% sickle cell patients. Efforts should also be made that carrier couples do not marry each other. In every pregnancy of carrier couples, there will be a 25% possibility of the child being sick. After marriage, pre-natal checkup must be done during pregnancy. He said that it is equally important to tell that there is no obstacle in the marriage of a patient or carrier with a normal person. Similarly, active cooperation of the society is necessary to alert sickle cell patients and carriers about food and daily routine related precautions for a healthy lifestyle.
Governor Shri Patel said that sickle cell is a genetic disease. Therefore, its elimination is a complex and challenging task. Our scientists have provided an unprecedented opportunity to work towards eliminating the disease by reaching the root of the disease through gene level analysis. The laboratory will be helpful in understanding the challenges and complexities arising from the uniqueness of sickle cell disease and finding solutions. From its features, it appears that this machine will usher in a new revolution in the field of prediction of the severity of sickle cell disease and personalized medical research.
Tribal Affairs Minister Dr. Kunwar Vijay Shah has said that sickle cell tests will be conducted on the occasion of admission of students in all the departmental hostels of the state. He said that Governor Shri Patel is the first constitutional head who has reached every corner of the state and understood the pain and suffering of the deprived. Under his leadership, there has been a big improvement in the lives of sickle cell disease affected people of the state. The state is leading in the country in sickle cell eradication efforts, because our Governor is Shri Patel. He said that in the Governor’s sickle cell eradication Mahayagna, the Tribal Affairs Department has made an offering in the form of construction of specialist institutes worth Rs 382 crore in Bhopal and Indore.
In the program, National Health Mission Director Dr. Saloni Sidana said that the state is the leading state in the country to do sickle cell elimination work with a holistic approach. It is the first state where vaccination of the age group of two to 20 years has started. There are specialized research centers in Indore and Bhopal. The mission is doing screening and distributing genetic cards at a fast pace to eliminate sickle cell. The state is leading in fulfilling the targets under the mission of the central government. So far, more than one crore people have been screened. 2 lakh carriers and more than 28 thousand patients were identified in the investigation. Along with allopathy, disease treatment and management is being done on a large scale through Ayush medicine. The tribal community has started marrying by matching the genetic card.
ICMR Director General Dr. Rajiv Bahl, who joined the seminar virtually, said that Madhya Pradesh is leading in the country in efforts to eradicate sickle. The state’s integrated efforts to implement the mission, manage and improve the lives of the affected are exemplary. He said that the institute is making efforts for research and clinical tests to reduce organ damage and painful problems. Dr. Manisha Madkaikar of National Institute of Immuno-Hematology, Mumbai also addressed the program. In-charge Director BMHRC Dr. Manisha Srivastava threw light on the format of the seminar in her welcome address. Sickle cell patients and carriers shared their experiences on the stage. The Institute’s Medical Superintendent Dr. Anurag Yadav expressed his gratitude.
