The health ministry will submit a Plan of Action on genetic blood disorders including sickle cell disease to the Planning Commission for incorporating it as part for the control programme for non-communicable diseases under the 12th Five Year Plan.

A core working group of experts, constituted by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), has formulated guidelines for preparing an Action Plan for the States to implement a programme for prevention and control of sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia and haemophilia, sources said.

The action plan will be based on the findings of an extensive research held by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on thalassemia. A multi-centric research on “community control of thalassemia” was completed by ICMR in six states -- Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Punjab, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

National Institute of Immunohaematology, Mumbai, has also carried out research on thalassemia in the last few years. The Institute has also played an important role in imparting training to other centres in molecular diagnosis of thalassemia.

According to the studies, India has a high percentage of people suffering from genetic disorders that cause severe anaemia, including thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh stand top among the States in this regard.

Of the samples from Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh examined for the study, 34 per cent were found to have sickle cell anaemia. Maharashtra is third with 33 per cent of its population suffering from sickle cell anaemia while Bihar and Tamil Nadu are at the fourth position with 31 per cent of its people suffering from the genetic blood disorder, according the studies.

India has the highest number of sickle gene carriers in the world, accounting for 50 per cent of the total population in the category in the world. Most of tribal belt in India being an endemic area for malaria, the people living in tribal area are affected by sickle cell anaemia, according to the Health Ministry. The action plan was prepared in the light of these studies.