President Murmu attends International Sickle Cell Day commemoration at Omkareshwar
On 19 June 2026 at Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, President Droupadi Murmu attended the International Sickle Cell Day commemoration and noted that screening under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission met its target ahead of schedule.
Summary
President Droupadi Murmu attended the International Sickle Cell Day commemoration at Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, on 19 June 2026. Murmu said the screening target of the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was achieved ahead of schedule, with seven crore people from newborns to those up to 40 years of age screened, calling it one of the largest genetic disease screening initiatives in the world. The screening has detected sickle cell disease in about 2.5 lakh people and identified over 20 lakh carriers. Madhya Pradesh launched the 'Sickle Mitra' initiative on International Sickle Cell Day last year.
Key facts
- Event
- Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, 19 June 2026
- Mission
- National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission
- Screened
- Seven crore people, newborns to 40 years
- Detected
- About 2.5 lakh with the disease; over 20 lakh carriers
- MP initiative
- 'Sickle Mitra', launched on International Sickle Cell Day last year
- Goal
- Eradicate sickle cell-related diseases well before 2047
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Where did President Droupadi Murmu attend the International Sickle Cell Day commemoration on 19 June 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh
The commemoration was held at Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh.
According to President Murmu (June 2026), screening under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission has identified roughly how many carriers of sickle cell disease?
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Correct answer: A — Over 20 lakh
Over 20 lakh carriers have been identified; about 2.5 lakh people have been detected with the disease.
Consider the following statements about screening under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, as stated by the President on 19 June 2026: 1. Seven crore people were screened, ranging from newborns to those up to 40 years of age. 2. The screening target was achieved ahead of schedule. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: seven crore people from newborns to 40 years were screened and the target was met ahead of schedule.