ICMR's affordable test kits boost diagnosis of genetic blood disorders in India

SIMPLE and affordable point-of-care (POC) test kits, developed by scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), are enhancing the diagnosis of genetic blood disorders like Haemophilia A, von Willebrand disease (VWD) and sickle cell disease (SCD) in the country.

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Haemophilia A, VWD, and SCD are serious inherited bleeding disorders, which often go undiagnosed because the testing is expensive and only available at a few specialised hospitals.

India bears a significant burden from Haemophilia A. Estimates suggest around 136,000 individuals are affected, but only a small fraction are diagnosed and registered.

While the prevalence of VWD in India is estimated at 1 per 12,000 in some regions, limited studies suggest a 10 per cent prevalence among inherited bleeding disorders.

In the case of SCD, the disease is particularly prevalent in India, especially among the tribal population (57 per cent), though it also affects non-tribals (43 per cent).

“We have now multiple tests that are made in India and can diagnose blood disorders. That is something we all should be proud of,” Dr Manisha Madkaikar, Director, ICMR-Centre for Research, Management, and Control of Haemoglobinopathies (CRMCH) in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, told IANS.