CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: With the tireless efforts of AIIMS Bhopal’s Executive Director Ajay Singh, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has declared AIIMS Bhopal as a center of excellence for the treatment of rare diseases. Sickle cell disease/thalassemia is also a rare condition. Early screening for this disease is essential to initiate treatment on time.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest population of indigenous people in the country, and this disease is highly prevalent among them. In this regard, a project named “Establishment of Laboratory Facilities for Screening Newborns for Common Metabolic Disorders and Sickle Cell Anemia, Thalassemia, and other Hemoglobinopathies” is being implemented in AIIMS Bhopal.
An online training session was organized by the Department of Pediatrics at AIIMS Bhopal in collaboration with the National Health Mission (Blood Cell) to raise awareness about screening for metabolic disorders and hemoglobinopathies in newborns.
This training was provided to health care staff (medical officers, nursing, and paramedical staff) in all 49 districts to initiate screening for sickle cell (hemoglobinopathies) and metabolic disorders in newborns. The objective of the training was to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for sample collection. It included screening and sample collection methods for newborns.
The session was designed to train participants on various aspects such as newborn screening overview, technical aspects related to sample collection, storage, and transportation. Training was conducted in two batches in each district, one for medical officers and nursing staff and the other for laboratory technicians. Approximately 350 participants from all districts participated in the training.