There is cause for alarm in Adilabad district as the
number of sickle cell positive cases is rising and is the highest in the Telangana state.
Nearly 2,115 positive sickle cell carriers were
found among the so far screened 23,000 students studying in Tribal Ashram
schools in the district. Among the detected positive sickle cell carriers, 600
school going children have been suffering from sickle cell disease.
The survey was conducted in Tribal Ashram schools in
Wankidi, Kerameri, Tiryani, Indravelli, Utnoor , Sirpur (U), Khanapur, Kadam,
Jainoor mandals so far. Talassemia is also found along with sickle cell among
some students in the medical tests.
People become anemic with the sickle cell disease and
are prone to many diseases. Mental and physical growth is reduced due to lack
of oxygen in the cells.
Sickle cell disease is caused by marrying one’s cousin
in the same family or when a sickle cell positive person marries to another of
the same medical status. The children of
such a marriage will become carriers of the disease.
Research into the family tree of people tested
positive can detect the cause. Malaria and sickle cell diseases are
interrelated and sickle cell cases are found more among the Adivasis living in malaria
zones and suffering from malaria. It is
found that most of the cases were among the Adivasi students of Gonds, Kolams
and Pardhan, Thoti and other groups.
However, the exact figure of the positive cases of
sickle cell cases will be found only after conducting tests of family members. Sickle
cell anemia is hereditary and genetic related disease which transmits to
children from patents.
The survey revealed shocking statistics that the
positive sickle cell cases are high and situation is alarming in the
district.
The famous Nagoba Jatara scheduled for February 7 to
15 will be a life saving event this time for the thousands of Adivasis. Medical
tests will be conducted on the Adivasis who visit the temple for sickle cell
anemia disease.
Thousands of Adivasis are suffering from sickle cell
anemia in the Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country.
Blood sample will be collected from Adivasis at
special medical camp to be conducting during the jatara and precautions will be
given to the people tested positive on preventing
the sickle cell from transmitting to the children.
District Malaria officer Alham Ravi said they were
conducting a medical camp for initial screening of blood tests to the people
for sickle cell and they will conduct HPLC tests ( High Pressure Liquid
Chromatology) to the positives to identify the specific category of sickle
cell.
He said they will get precious data by conducting
screening tests to Adivasis at Jatara and will be used for tracing out their
family members and relatives in positive cases.
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