Hyderabad: The city based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has started a mission mode project to conduct rapid assessment and management for sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients.

Apart from population studies, individuals will be diagnosed in the new project that is jointly run with the Sickle Cell Institute of Chhattisgarh was started on Friday at the CCMB.

The disease affects mostly ST, SC and other Backward Caste populations of Chhattisgarh, MP, Odisha, Jharkhand, Gujarat, AP and TS.

CCMB director Dr Rakesh Mishra said that the disease management is usually symptomatic and hydroxyurea is the major therapeutic agent that is available for its treatment. “Early and affordable detection and treatment as well as preventive measures are important in managing this disease.”

The CCMB proposes to confirm the genetic status of children afflicted with SCA, and then screen their extended families to identify the carriers.

Large scale family ased screening will identify most of the carriers and customised counselling will reduce the genetic burden for SCA.