Important for
Prelims: Science & Technology
Mains: General Studies Paper III
World Thalassemia Day
- Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare launched the third phase of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY) of the Health Ministry which is being supported by Coal India Limited as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to commemorate World Thalassemia Day, here today.
- She also launched the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana Portal.
Thalassemia
- It is a genetic blood disorder that causes the body to have less hemoglobin than normal. Haemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen. Thalassemia can cause anaemia, leading to fatigue.
- However, Thalassemia is a treatable disorder that can be well-managed with blood transfusions and chelation therapy.
Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana
- The Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) program was launched in 2017 and is funded by Coal India Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
- HSCT refers to the transplantation of stem cells from various sources (bone marrow, growth factor–stimulated peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood) for the treatment of various diseases like autoimmune, and genetic diseases.
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell: It is an immature cell that can develop into all types of blood cells, including white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Hematopoietic stem cells are found in the peripheral blood and the bone marrow. Also called blood stem cell.
- Moreover, it aims to provide a one-time cure opportunity for Haemoglobinopathies like Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Disease for patients who have a matched family donor.
- Eligibility: Only patients whose monthly family income is below Rs 20,000 will be eligible for this assistance.
- The scheme has been extended to cover Aplastic Anaemia patients (lack of blood cell production in body).
- Funding: The CSR initiative was targeted to provide financial assistance to a total of 200 patients by providing a package cost not exceeding rupees 10 lakhs per HSCT.
Other Steps Taken by GOI
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016: Thalassemia was recognised as a benchmark disability.
- National mission to tackle thalassemia: The Union government will soon launch the mission with a country-wide screening exercise.
- Govt. Programmes
- Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT)
- National Prog for Prevention & Control of NCDs
- Space Science & Technology Awareness Training (START)
1.) Commission for Scientific & Technical Terminology
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) under the Union Ministry of Education is working on creating technical and scientific terminology in 10 underrepresented Indian languages.
- Languages : Bodo, Santhali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Sindhi, Maithili, and Sanskrit.
- Focus Area : To create fundamental (basic) dictionaries with 5,000 words per language in digital, searchable format, free of cost. 1,000-2,000 copies will be printed in each language.
- Covers 15 disciplines including journalism, public administration, chemistry, botany, zoology, psychology, physics, economics, Ayurveda, mathematics, computer science, political science, agriculture, civil and electrical engineering
- Distribution : State education boards, universities, engineering institutes, and the National Testing Agency.
- Significance :
- To address the paucity of study material created in regional languages primarily because of a lack of words to describe scientific phenomena and technical terms.
- The move is in line with the National Education Policy 2020 which promotes the use of regional languages as a medium of education in both school and college.
- CSTT : CSTT (est. 1961; HQ: New Delhi) was established under clause (4) of Article 344 of the Constitution of India, with the objective to evolve technical terminology in all Indian Languages.
2.) National Prog for Prevention & Control of NCDs
- The existing National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) programme has been renamed National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
- Further, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has renamed the Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Non-Communicable Disease (CPHC NCD IT) system as the National NCD Portal to cover a wider population for screening and management of non-communicable diseases.
- NPCDCS is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) across the country.
- It was launched in 2010 with a focus on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion, early diagnosis, management and referral.
- Under NPCDCS, NCD Cells are being established at National, State and District levels for programme management, and NCD Clinics are being set up at District and Community Health Centres (CHC) levels, to provide services for early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for common NCDs.
3.) START
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched an online training programme named Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START) for postgraduate and final-year undergraduate students of Physical Sciences and Technology.
- Domains : Astronomy and Astrophysics, Heliophysics and Sun-Earth interaction, Instrumentation, and Aeronomy.
- The delivery mode is online and application is made through Jigyasa Portal.
- Purpose : To provide introductory-level training in Space Science and Technology to build human capacity for future Space Science and research.
Practice Questions for Prelims
Which of the following treatment can be given to thalassemia patients?
a) Stem cell or bone marrow transplant
b) Blood transfusions
c) Iron chelation
d) All of the above
Ans. d)
Mains Practice Question
What is the position of Thalassemia as a diseases in India? What are the steps taken by Government of India for the same?
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