Govt announces Rs 10-cr prize for new drug to treat sickle cell disease

The government on Thursday announced an award of Rs 10 crore to develop a drug for the treatment of sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects India's tribal populations.

Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that affect haemoglobin, causing red blood cells to become sickle-shaped and block the blood flow, which can lead to serious complications such as stroke, eye problems and infections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission on July 1, 2023, with the aim of eradicating the disease by 2047. The government aims to screen seven crore people up to 40 years of age as part of the mission.

 

At an event to mark World Sickle Cell Day here, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey announced the institution of the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Prize for the development of a drug to treat the disease.

The minister said there is only one drug available as of now for the management of the disease. There is currently no option to select a drug from a range of alternatives based on the patient's body conditions and severity of the disease.

He said this problem is worsened in special situations like pregnancy or the presence of other serious medical conditions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new drug.

The tribal affairs ministry, in collaboration with the AIIMS-Delhi, will undertake a competition for the development of the drug. The selected proposal will be funded up to Rs 10 crore, Uikey said.

He also said the ministry will establish a Centre for Tribal Health and Research Institute under the AIIMS-Delhi.

This centre will also have outpatient and inpatient facilities for providing the highest-quality medical care to tribal people. Provisions for seamless referrals from peripheral hospitals in tribal-dominated areas will be explored, he said.

The centre will also guide the government in policy formulation.

The minister said a postgraduate course in tribal medicine will also be designed.

This will help address the long-standing health inequities faced by tribal communities, who often remain underserved due to geographical, socio-cultural and systemic barriers, he said.

This specialised course will be designed to develop a cadre of medical professionals with contextual knowledge, clinical skills and public health competencies tailored to tribal settings.