President Murmu: India to Eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia Well Before 2047 Target
President Droupadi Murmu has announced that India is on track to eradicate sickle cell anaemia well before the government's target year of 2047. Speaking at a Madhya Pradesh government event in Omkareshwar, Khandwa district, on June 19, 2026, she urged states to take the disease seriously and called for collective efforts to raise awareness, particularly among tribal communities.
“Through collective strength and active participation of all states, India would achieve its national goal of eliminating sickle cell-related diseases well before 2047,” the President said. She noted that several key targets set during the launch of the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in 2023 have been achieved ahead of schedule, including the screening of seven crore people aged between 0 and 40 years. “This is one of the largest genetic disease screening initiatives in the world,” she added.
The President highlighted that this is the first time in the country that such large-scale genetic screening has been linked with digital tracking. As a result, nearly 2,50,000 people affected by sickle cell-related diseases and more than 20 lakh carriers have been identified so far. She praised Madhya Pradesh for screening 1.25 crore people in the state and providing genetic counselling cards to most of them.
Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become misshapen, leading to pain, infections, and organ damage. Scientific studies have shown that its prevalence among tribal communities is many times higher than in the general population. “I would like to urge all state governments and officials not to take this disease lightly because it passes from one generation to another,” she said. “Efforts should be made to eradicate it completely because treatment is possible. The disease can be eliminated.”
The President lauded the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission - 2047, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol in 2023, as the first mission implemented jointly by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs. “Consequently, for the first time in the country, a nationwide campaign was launched by integrating public health, tribal welfare, genetic science, and digital monitoring. Seventeen states participating in this campaign have actively contributed to its implementation,” she added.
President Murmu concluded her two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh on Friday (June 19), emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to eliminate the disease and improve the health of affected communities.
