Sickle cell anemia screening camps to be held in agency villages in Kothagudem

Screening camps will be held across 130 gram panchayats in tribal agency areas to detect and prevent sickle cell anemia. Officials urged tribal communities to undergo testing and adopt preventive health practices, stressing early detection and access to clean drinking water

Kothagudem: ITDA Project Officer B Rahul informed that, as part of preventive measures against sickle cell anemia, screening camps for Adivasis would be conducted in as many as 130 gram panchayats in the agency areas.

Speaking at a programme organised at the ITDA Bhadrachalam premises on the occasion of World Sickle Cell Anemia Day on Thursday, he said that with the cooperation of tribal youth, ANMs, and ASHA workers, awareness would be created among the tribal population.

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Sickle cell anemia tests would be conducted for all individuals to help prevent tribal families from contracting the disease in the future. To reduce the risk of sickle cell anemia, one should drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet with fruits that boost hemoglobin levels, and exercise regularly, he suggested.

District Collector Jitesh V Patil stated that sickle cell anemia was mostly inherited among tribal children in the agency areas. He said that if the disease is detected early and proper medical treatment is administered, it can be effectively managed.

He added that medical staff working in these regions must take responsibility for raising awareness and encouraging people to undergo blood testing. Pregnant women, in particular, should be tested for sickle cell anemia.

If symptoms are identified early, appropriate treatment can ensure the birth of a healthy baby. The Collector said that testing camps should be established at all PHCs, sub-centres, Anganwadi centres, schools, and major intersections to detect the disease.

Local MLA Dr. T Venkat Rao suggested that people between the ages of 0 and 40 should be tested. He noted that the disease is more prevalent in villages lacking access to clean drinking water and urged the authorities to ensure the availability of potable water in such areas.