Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday called for focus on preventive measures to address the burden of genetic diseases on the country. He wanted States to screen children for early identification and management of genetic disorders, an official release said.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a research laboratory, advanced diagnostic laboratory and 2nd blood transfusion unit at the Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society (TSCS) here, the Vice-President said the measures should be taken to genetic diseases like Thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.
These diseases impose a heavy economic and emotional burden on the affected families, he said. Statistics show prevalence of beta-Thalassemia in the range of 2.9 to 4.6 per cent whereas sickle cell anaemia is more prevalent among lower socio-economic sections of society, ranging from 5 to 40 per cent among the tribal populations.
Naidu urged private sector and NGOs to complement the government’s efforts in combating such diseases. He said the available treatment options for the genetic conditions -- bone marrow transplantation or regular blood transfusion -- are cost-intensive and distressing to the child, hence a comprehensive approach is required.
All stakeholders – doctors, teachers, public figures, community leaders and media – should spread awareness on Thalassemia and sickle cell disease, he said. Children affected with Thalassemia need blood transfusions throughout life, so the youth should come forward and donate blood to the needy, the Vice-President said.
The country has seen considerable improvement in various health indices since Independence, yet there are challenges in ensuring quality and affordable healthcare, he said. There is the need to address shortage of trained human resources in healthcare, therefore making rural service for young doctors before getting admission to PG courses should be mandatory, Naidu said.
"Scaling up e-health initiatives in rural areas using digital tools is another cost- effective method for making healthcare accessible to all," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
