Sickle cell screening for newborns starts in Nagpur

NAGPUR: With incidence of sickle cell genetic mutation being 22-40% in certain high-risk groups in the region, it is imminent to undertake screening programmes for newborns, marriageable youth and pregnant mother.
While screening for pregnant mothers is done in majority of  the maternity homes or hospitals, and marriageable youths are screened through programmes in colleges, newborns are not being screened regularly, said president of Sickle Cell Association Nagpur (SCAN) Dr Anuradha Shrikhande.

To avoid mortality and morbidity, for the first time in Nagppur, a system has been put in place to screen newborns for sickle cell disease through HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatrogrophy)tests conducted by SCAN ..