PALAKKAD: The Centre’s plan to eradicate sickle cell anaemia over the next 25 years — announced in the budget on Wednesday — is a welcome step, especially for the tribal population of Attappadi and Wayanad. In Attappadi, there is no data on the number of people suffering from the inherited blood disorder. A 2013 screening of 591 persons revealed 106 positive cases.
They were all screened at the Agali community health centre and comprised mostly students of Agali pre-metric hostel and Attappadi model residential school, and from Nakkupathy, Dudoor, Omala, Kalllamala and Vandanpara tribal settlements.
And with a lack of clarity on more recent numbers, the fear is that many of those who tested positive in 2013 could have passed on the disease to their progeny. Moreover, there is a need for haemoglobin electrophoresis tests, which are among the several used to screen newborns for sickle cell anaemia. But the facility is not available here, say sources.
A seven-year-old tribal boy died of the disease recently. In October 2022, three persons, including a pregnant mother, died in Attappadi. The Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) and health authorities are working with a number of around 150 affected in Attappadi.
The fact is that the disease can be eradicated if the entire tribal population is screened, those who test positive are followed up, and steps are taken to prevent further transmission.
Counselling should be provided to ensure that the tribals take medicines regularly, said Dr V Narayanan, chief medical officer of the Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, which has been attending to patients in Attappadi.
He said the mortality rate in Wayanad is higher. The 190 tribal settlements in Attappadi need to be screened for the disease. Dr Narayanan said large-scale screening under the leadership of Dr Feroze and Dr Aravindan of the Kozhikode Medical College had been done about 15 years ago when around 150 sickle cell anaemia cases were detected. But there has been no proper follow-up. He said that under the last UDF government when P K Jayalakshmi was minister for tribal development, these patients have disbursed pulses and Rs 1,000 per head.
The rough figures with the tribal department in Wayanad speak of 1,000 positive cases. This could even be 1,500 among tribals alone. The Vivekananda Medical Mission has already started screening patients in Wayanad. Only after screening can people be classified as carriers, diseased and normal patients, says Dr Sagdeo Muttil, a medical officer with the mission in Wayanad.
He said sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disease that can be transmitted from one generation to another, two carriers should not be allowed to marry. On the other hand, one carrier and a normal person can be allowed to marry. He said the mission has the electrophoresis machine as well as high-performance liquid chromatography (HLPC) machines to detect all variants of the disease.
Dr Jaideep Menon
Professor, Adult Cardiology and Public Health,
Amrita Hospital, Kochi
As a clinician and researcher, I consider this budget as a nuanced forward-looking one with a thrust on research and capacity building in the health sector, though the allocation to the industry remains at 2.1%. Opening up ICMR institutes and laboratories to private sector researchers is also a welcome way forward which would help create an environment conducive to research in both places
Rajendra Kumar
Dean - admn, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
As the highest-ranked private university in the country, we welcome the support planned for the implementation of the National Education Policy. Programmes for the skilling of the youth will have a positive impact on unemployment. With better education of children, the youth of tomorrow will get a boost with the steps proposed. Emphasis on economic programmes that will lead to the creation of more jobs is welcome. They will give a clear direction to institutions of higher education to pursue courses that will create new job opportunities
Ajayraj P
Director and CEO, Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre
We believed we will get everything automatically. The fact is we won’t. We have to fight for them. We are entering a competitive world. We thought ayurveda is all about Kerala and expected to receive the benefits. Eventually, other states received them
Jobin Jose
Founder and CEO, Jobin and Jismi IT Service
This budget will benefit the middle class. It gives more opportunities to youngsters with good ideas. It is beneficial for startups
Geemon Korah
Executive Director and CEO, Kancor Ingredients
This budget is one with more inputs and thrusts for the future. It focuses on upskilling people, green sustainability and the like. Agriculture is going to be one of the biggest beneficiaries. The budget is holistic and touches all points of agriculture – logistics, technology, warehousing and agriculture accelerators. It also focuses on millet
George Alexander Muthoot
MD, Muthoot Finance
The capex expenditure outlay of Rs 10 lakh crore will pave the way to boost economic growth, along with job creation. The enhanced outlay by 66% to Rs. 79,000 crores under the PM Awaz Yojna will boost India’s housing sector, especially in the rural and semi-urban areas. During the pandemic, MSMEs relied heavily on gold loans to meet their credit needs and the budget further has offered a big relief to MSMEs, which have been one of the most impacted sectors during the pandemic.
In order to reduce the stress on the segment and increase the flow of funds, the Government revamped the ECLGS scheme via the infusion of Rs 9000 crores in the corpus. This will enable collateral for Rs 2 lakh crore loans to the small and medium-sized businesses
Venkatraman Venkateswaran: Group President, CFO, Federal Bank
It is an infrastructure spending-oriented budget with 7 priorities set by the Union finance minister. It unveiled tax cuts and set the virtuous cycle of job creation. Out of the overall growth agenda, specifically looking at the banking sector, there are two major proposals.
Firstly on agricultural credit, the target is hiked to Rs 20 lakh crore, which will help drive rural growth. Additionally, the revamped credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs, with an infusion of Rs 9,000 crore into the corpus will enable an additional collateral-free credit guarantee of Rs 2 lakh crore
Murali Ramakrishnan: MD & CEO, South Indian Bank
Effective implementation of schemes like the opening of Rs 47.8 crore PM Jan Dhan bank accounts will benefit commoners. With the establishment of the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund, we expect infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities to get a boost. Enabling of digital locker for MSMEs for securely storing and sharing documents online with various authorities, regulators and other entities will hearten seamless business
K Paul Thomas: MD & CEO, ESAF Small Finance Bank
The budget aims at growth accommodating all sections of society. It focuses on the inclusive development of the marginalised. Emphasis on agriculture credit by increasing the credit target and launch of the Agriculture Acceleration Fund are positive signs for agri-techs and startups. The Rs 6K crore allocated for PM Matsya Sampada Yojana is a welcome move for fishermen in Kerala