India offers Rs 10 crore reward for new drug to treat sickle cell disease

New Delhi: The government has announced a prize of Rs 10 crore to develop a drug for the treatment of sickle cell disease.

There is only a single drug available as on date for the management of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). There is currently no option to select a drug from a spectrum of drugs options for management of a patient, depending on his/her body conditions and severity of the disease. This problem gets augmented in special situations like pregnancy, other serious medical conditions etc. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of a new drug/s for the management of the disease. 

The tribal affairs Ministry in collaboration with AIIMS Delhi will undertake a competition for drug development; the selected proposal will be funded up to Rs 10 cores for the drug development.

All effort would be made in eradicating sickle cell from the country by the end of 2047; this was stated by the Union Minister of State Shri Durgadas Uikey in New Delhi. Addressing a gathering in AIIMS on the occasion of “World Sickle cell Day” he said that there would be no dearth of funds in eliminating the dreaded diseases Sickle cell anemia. He informed that his ministry is working in tandem along with other stake holders in eradicating the disease from the nation.

On 1st July 2023, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had announced his government’s resolve that by the end of 2047, Sickle Cell anemia would be thrashed out from the soil of India.

Acting in line with the vision of the Prime Minister the MoS said his ministry along with other line departments is about to complete screening, testing and other requisites for the eradication of the disease. He said that it is not only a challenge for the medical fraternities it is also a movement of providing social justice to the tribal communities in the nation. He called on the medical fraternities to come forward for realizing the dream of the Prime Minister by eradicating the disease from India.

Meanwhile the Minister of State also interacted with patients of sickle cell anaemia and their families. People from different parts of the country are currently residing and receiving treatment in Delhi, the Minister assured them of all support of Central and state governments; he further assured them about the free availability of all medicines associated with the management of SCD.