Latest news with #ICMR-CRMCH
India Gazette
21-06-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
Home grown less than 50 rupees' test aiding fight against Sickle Cell Disease
New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): Sickle Cell Disease, a genetic blood disorder, leads to severe health complications such as anaemia, frequent pain episodes and other debilitating symptoms, affecting millions worldwide, especially in India and Africa. According to Dr Prabhakar Kedar, Scientist F, ICMR- CRMCH, Chandrapur India has indigenous validated 35 company kits and 23 kits with 100 % accuracy and low cost for Sickle Cell Anaemia detection, 'we have validated so far 35 company kits and 23 have shown 100 per cent sensitivity and 12 kits 95 per cent sensitivity.' The sample collection is done from a finger prick mixed with buffer solution, and results are obtained in a few minutes. 'A drop of capillary blood (usually from a finger prick) is collected. 2. The blood is mixed with buffer solution and placed on the test strip or cassette, 3. Reaction: The test uses antibodies to detect different haemoglobin variants (HbA, HbS and control band).' He explained 'Colored lines appear on the strip within 10 minutes to indicate the presence of normal haemoglobin (HbA), sickle haemoglobin (HbS), and control band.' He said. On utilisation of these kits, he said 2 kits per month are used, and for each kit we use 50 Sickle homozygous blood samples, 50 heterozygous and 50 normal blood samples.' 'We used blood samples, which were first confirmed by the HPLC method, which is the gold standard for diagnosing sickle cell anaemia, ' he said. To support the fight against Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), two centres- ICMR-NIIH in Mumbai and CRMCH in Chandrapur, have been officially chosen by the government to test and approve new diagnostic kits. 'ICMR NIRRCH, along with PGI Chandigarh and ICMR-NIIH, conducted a comprehensive assessment and determined that point-of-care tests for Sickle Cell Disease/Trait among the high-risk population in India would be cost-effective if procured at INR 100 per test or below. Following the HTA recommendation, the National Health Mission instructed state health departments to procure the diagnostic kits at a maximum price of INR 100 per test. Through public tendering, the competitive procurement process drove the price of the kits down to INR 82 per test, significantly below the initial quote, resulting in a saving of Rs 1,857 crores. Subsequently, ICMR-NIIH has validated new kits, and further to it, the manufacturer has agreed to sell the kits at INR 50 per test,' states ICMR-CRMCH. These efforts are a big boost for the National Sickle Cell Elimination Mission, which aims to eliminate the disease from India by 2047. (ANI)
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
India set to integrate rare blood donor registry with e-Rakt Kosh
In what would be a life, time and cost saving move for people with rare blood groups in India the Central Health Ministry is looking at integrating the country's Rare Donor Registry with the national online platform for blood bank management and blood availability information called e-Rakt Kosh. The integration will allow those with rare blood groups to access a centralized system developed under the National Health Mission (NHS), providing details on blood banks, blood availability, and blood donation camps across the country. Essentially, it will help people find blood and blood banks, and assist blood banks manage their stock and donors. 'Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Immunohaematology (NIIH) along with four partnering institutes created a data base of 4,000 carefully screened donors, tested for over 300 rare blood markers. It helps doctors find rare and specially matched blood quickly. Rare donor registry of India (RDRI) platform has been developed to help patients across India,' said Manisha R. Madkaikar, director, Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR)-NIIH and Centre for Research, Management and Control of Heamoglobinopathies (CRMCH). She added that the integration project will be taken up soon and will offer more access and support to those with rare blood group. 'The challenge is to ensure that we have a steady, motivated group of donors who stay connected to the blood banks,' she said. Explaining how this the registry for rare blood group helps Dr. Madkaikar said that this system helps find rare matches as the registry includes ultra-rare type like Bombay blood group, P-Null and Rh-null blood. It also helps ensure safer transfusions where matches are available for patients missing multiple antigens (common in thalassemia and sickle cell) to prevent complications. 'The group has also developed a special blood screening kit tailored for Indian patients and it uses DNA test (multiplex PCR) to quickly identify rare blood types,' said Dr. Madkaikar. She added at in the past this registry has been used to turn nearly impossible search into life-saving solutions and with the integration and reach India could work towards ensuring that no life is lost due to lack of blood. Meanwhile, working the area of effectively managing hemoglobinopathies ICMR-NIIA has also developed point of care test to detect life-threatening blood related genetic disorders. 'The Health Technology Assessments (HTA) led by Department of Health Research (DHR) and ICMR-CRMCH and NIIH helped cut the cost of sickle cell diagnostic kits from ₹350 to under ₹50 per test, saving the government nearly ₹1,857 crore,' said a note issued by ICMR-CRMCH. 'India has developed testing for Hemophilia A and Von Willebrand Disease and now World Federation for Hemophilia has shown interest in procuring these tests for deployment in countries where the disease is prevalent. For India this new rapid, visual card testing device has made testing possible even at primary health centers,' said Dr. Madkaikar. This upgraded testing is cheaper than what is currently available. India has about 1.4 lakh Hemophilia patients which is the second highest globally after Brazil. Hemophilia is a rare genetic disorder where the blood doesn't clot properly due to a deficiency in clotting factors. The technology for the POC test for these conditions was transferred to Bengaluru based biotechnology firm Bhat Biotech which commercialised it under the brand name Bio-Scan in August, 2023.
