VIJAYAWADA: Sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia remain major health concerns in the State, particularly among tribal communities. While thalassemia is caused by a defect in the beta-globin gene, controlling the production of the beta-globin chains of haemoglobin, sickle cell disease is caused by a defect in haemoglobin itself with the presence of abnormal haemoglobin S. Both of them are genetic blood disorders inherited from parents, leads to severe anaemia, requiring regular blood transfusions every three to four weeks.
Thalassemia cases are higher among children than adults. Children suffering from thalassemia often face significant health challenges, needing continuous medical care, frequent blood transfusions, and proper nutrition.
Given the state of its prevalence, the State government has included thalassemia treatment under the NTR Vaidya Seva (Arogyasri), offering free medication, financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month to affected patients.
However, despite such efforts, access to life-saving blood transfusions remains a pressing issue in remote tribal areas like Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR), and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts.
One of the biggest hurdles for tribal thalassemia patients or Sickle cell anaemia is the lack of accessible blood banks. Patients need the blood of their group for transfusions, but in remote areas, finding a matching blood or donor can be a major challenge. Many patients from the Manyam district are forced to travel over 100 km to Visakhapatnam or Kakinada for treatment. Even after reaching these cities, they must search for compatible blood, and in the case of rare blood groups, it can take days to find a donor.
Speaking to TNIE, Adivasi Sankshema Parishad (ASP) State President Veba Yogi said that tribal thalassemia patients struggle to access blood transfusions and cannot travel long distances.
He urged the State government to provide blood transfusions at nearby CHCs (Community Healthcare Centres), as patient data is already available.
This prolonged process adds to the physical and financial burden of already struggling families. Patients and their attendants must make long and expensive journeys, sometimes staying in cities for extended periods for blood transfusions. These challenges often lead to missed treatments, worsening their health conditions.
Around 280 blood banks are operating under the State government, private, and NGO bodies. Most of them are concentrated in urban and plain areas, leaving tribal regions underserved. Therefore, the adivasi associations stress that the only sustainable solution is to establish blood transfusion facilities in interior tribal areas.
Speaking to TNIE, State Coordinator for AP Red Cross Blood Banks BVS Kumar highlighted that the Red Cross operates 21 blood banks across the State, which are also ready to extend transfusion services to tribal areas, provided the State government grants permission.
The NTR Vaidya Seva scheme currently allows Red Cross blood banks and thalassemia transfusion centres to operate only from licensed locations like Kakinada and Eluru. If the State government relaxes these restrictions, Red Cross teams could transport blood to remote areas and perform transfusions at CHCs under a competent medical supervisor.
For thalassemia patients in tribal areas, timely blood transfusions are a matter of survival. Establishing mobile transfusion units and authorizing blood banks to operate in remote CHCs would provide much-needed relief.
Govt, Red Cross to join hands to bolster blood reserves in State
Hailing the efforts of Red Cross Blood Banks in serving thalassaemia patients, Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav stressed the need to strengthen blood reserves in government hospitals in collaboration with the Red Cross. Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Andhra Pradesh Chairman Dr YD Rama Rao and Treasurer P Ramachandra Raju met the health minister at the Secretariat on Wednesday. They highlighted that they supply lakhs of blood units to thalassaemia patients through 20 blood banks across the State. On the occasion, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav assured the government support for expanding Red Cross services while underscoring the importance of making blood reserves accessible to the poor