Drive to detect and treatment of Sickle Cell disease in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In order to deal with Sickle Cell disease, the Odisha government has started preparation for its detection and treatment.

The department of Health and Family Welfare, Secretary Shalini Pandit informed that institutional arrangements at the state and block level would be done for the implementation and monitoring of the drive and coordination among the stakeholders.

The state level sub-committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Mission Director NHM with Directors ST&SC, Minorities & Backward Class Welfare as co-chairperson. Directors of School and Mass Education, ST & SC, Minority and Backward Class Development, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and Department of women and child development were taken as members.

Other members from academic institutions included Project Coordinator Odisha Sickle Cell Project, VIMSAR Burla; and Head of the Dept. of Haematology, SCB medical College, Cuttack. Similarly, three civil society organisations namely TASWEL, Odisha, Haemophilia Society, Cuttack; and Haemophilia Society, Bhubaneswar were taken as members.

Besides, Director CMC, Vellore and Director RMRC, Bhubaneswar were also included as technical partners. Director Blood Safety cum Nodal Officer for Sickle Cell Mission Odisha would work as member convener of the state level sub-committee. The committee would work for policy formulation, technical support and overall monitoring of SCD programmes in the State.

The District Level Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of concerned Collectors. Members of the Parliament would be the special Invitees to the district level committee. The district welfare officer, chief district medical officer, district education officer, district social security officer, representatives from two academic institutions, and representatives from three leading civil society organisations working for tribal health in the concerned district would be the members. The CDMO and Public Health Officer of the district would work as member secretary and convenor of the committee.

The Block level committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Block Medical Officer with Welfare Extension Officer as the Co-chairperson. The block education officer, block social security officer, child development project officer (CDPO) and representatives from

three civil society organisations were taken as members. The CDPO would work as member convenor.

Further, Pandit said that Director Blood Safety would work as Nodal Officer for National Sickle Cell Mission. He would convene the State level sub-committee meeting , prepare plan for Universal Screening, identify and support centres of excellence in this state, prepare the budget and leverage the grants from available sources, coordinate the stake holders, develop state specific SOP, and workout tele consultation system for SCDs with Medical Colleges and Centres of Excellence.