The Odisha government has urged the Centre to set up a national institute for sickle cell disorder in Odisha, an official said on Thursday.
Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi requested Union Health Secretary C.K. Mishra to set up the institute, which will be a means of support for the entire eastern region of the country as the nearby states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, among others, report high incidence of this disease.
He said sickle cell disorder is a serious health concern in tribal and western Odisha.
“Sickle disease predominantly exists among the tribal communities and certain other distinct groups in different states of the country. However, as per studies, not only is the highest frequency of sickle cell gene in India reported from Odisha, but even the average load of sickle cell disease in the state is almost double the national average,” Padhi said in a letter.
He said the state government has already established a sickle cell institute in 2010 on the campus of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Burla.
But the high incidence, high morbidity and high mortality of this disease require the support of national level research and monitoring, which can only be effectively conducted through a National Institute of Sickle Cell Disorder, the Chief Secretary said.
Since Odisha has a high incidence of sickle cell disorders, the state is a natural choice for setting up the institute, he added.
