Doctors head for Canada to help fight rare blood disorder

A rare genetic blood disorder is responsible for bringing the medical fraternity of Maharashtra and Canada on a common platform. The Canadian government is seeking help from doctors in tribal Maharashtra to cure patients suffering from sickle cell anaemia and train local doctors there.

Sickle cell anaemia disease is a rare genetic blood disorder disease in which the normal red blood cells change their shape.
Maharashtra is among those states in India where government provides financial support for the fight against sickle cell disease, which is commonly found in tribal areas such as Nashik, Thane, Dhule, Nandurbar and Gadchiroli.

A delegation led by Maharashtra health minister, Suresh Shetty and public health secretary Bhushan Gagrani had recently travelled to Quebec. The  Canadian health minister said he had been impressed by the expertise of the doctors in handling the disease.

Sources said that Maharashtra is the only state where people affected with sickle cell anaemia were issued special identity cards that allowed them to have access to free blood, medicine and treatment and are offered a financial aid of Rs600 per month.