Viksit Odisha / Odisha's First Special Vaccination Drive for Sickle Cell Patients Launched in Anugola

Anugola, Oct 5: Odisha’s first special vaccination programme for confirmed sickle cell disease patients is being launched in Anugola district under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission.

The programme aims to protect sickle cell patients from serious infections such as pneumonia and meningitis through pneumococcal vaccination.

Why The Vaccination Is Important?
Sickle cell patients are at higher risk of severe infections, particularly those caused by encapsulated bacteria. Early vaccination can help reduce the risk of infections and related complications later in life.

Children receiving routine vaccinations under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) at six weeks, 14 weeks and nine months will not be covered under this special campaign.

The programme will cover confirmed sickle cell patients aged six to 40 years, excluding pregnant women. More than 1,700 confirmed sickle cell patients in Anugola district are expected to receive vaccination under the campaign.

Also Read: Diarrhoea takes 8 lives in 10 months, Odisha recorded 9 ADD Outbreaks in 2026!

Two-Dose Vaccination Schedule
Under the programme, eligible patients will first receive one intramuscular dose of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 13 (PCV13).

A dose of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine 23 (PPSV23) will then be administered eight weeks later.

The vaccination programme will be conducted in campaign mode across the district. Special vaccination camps will be organised at designated locations, primarily at block Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs).

The initiative is aimed at strengthening preventive healthcare for people living with sickle cell disease and reducing their risk of serious vaccine-preventable infections.

It can be mentioned here that the sickle cell anaemia symptoms usually appear around 4 to 6 months of age and include severe pain crises, chronic fatigue, and swollen hands or feet

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission is a central government initiative launched in July 2023 to eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem and stop its genetic transmission by the year 2047.