📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joydeep Chakraborty
Health
Odisha Reveals 59.28% of Sickle Cell Cases in Latest Screening of 7.27 Crore Across 17 Tribal States
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 12 Aug 2026, 04:33 PM
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A recent nationwide screening of 7.27 crore people across 17 tribal states found that 59.28% of sickle cell patients were in Odisha, with a total of 40,741 affected individuals.
Odisha has emerged as the state with the highest proportion of sickle cell patients following a comprehensive screening exercise that covered 7.27 crore individuals across 17 tribal states.
The health department’s report states that 59.28% of all identified sickle cell cases were concentrated in Odisha, underscoring the state’s urgent need for targeted interventions.
Across the 17 states, a total of 40,741 people were confirmed to have the condition, a figure that highlights the scale of the public health challenge.
Officials say the data will guide resource allocation and the rollout of preventive and treatment programs, especially in tribal districts where awareness and access to care remain limited.
The screening initiative, part of a national effort to curb the burden of hereditary blood disorders, is expected to inform future policy decisions and improve early diagnosis rates.
The health department’s report states that 59.28% of all identified sickle cell cases were concentrated in Odisha, underscoring the state’s urgent need for targeted interventions.
Across the 17 states, a total of 40,741 people were confirmed to have the condition, a figure that highlights the scale of the public health challenge.
Officials say the data will guide resource allocation and the rollout of preventive and treatment programs, especially in tribal districts where awareness and access to care remain limited.
The screening initiative, part of a national effort to curb the burden of hereditary blood disorders, is expected to inform future policy decisions and improve early diagnosis rates.