Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, Sep 14: A doctor couple from Madhya Pradesh has received international recognition for developing a simple and low-cost screening and genetic counselling card aimed at tackling sickle cell disease in tribal communities.
The work of homoeopaths Prof Dr Nishant Nambison and Dr Smita Nambison has been featured in Curved Air: A Biography of Sickle Cell Anaemia and the Quest to Cure the First Molecular Disease, authored by molecular geneticist Kevin Davies and published by Harvard University Press in August.
Speaking to PTI, Dr Nishant said the inclusion of their work in the publication marked international recognition for a grassroots health innovation originating in Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Nishant is an associate professor at the Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital in Bhopal, while his wife Smita is a doctor and independent researcher.
The book traces the global journey of scientific research into sickle cell disease, including efforts related to its prevention and treatment. It also highlights the Nambisons' work among tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh.
According to Dr Nishant, the initiative began after he and his wife witnessed the difficulties faced by children and families affected by sickle cell disease in Chhindwara. Limited awareness, inadequate screening facilities and poor access to genetic counselling were among the major challenges they observed.
In 2018, their team, with support from the local administration, conducted door-to-door screening of around 25,000 people. The exercise brought to light several practical challenges, including fear of testing, long distances to healthcare centres, social hesitation and limited availability of genetic counselling.
To address these difficulties, the couple developed the GIPCI Card, which uses colours and a special punch-hole system to help people understand their sickle cell status and the genetic risk of passing the disease to their children.
The system is designed to make information about the disease and its hereditary risks easier to understand, particularly in communities where access to specialised genetic counselling remains limited.
The book also discusses the proposed integration of the GIPCI system with a mobile application and a central database, which could further simplify and expand access to genetic counselling.
India has set an ambitious target of eliminating sickle cell disease as a public health problem by 2047. Responding to a question from author Kevin Davies about the feasibility of the target, Prof Nambison is quoted in the book as saying, "There is nothing wrong with being ambitious. Whether this goal will be achieved or not, time will tell."
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that can cause severe pain, anaemia and other serious health complications. Early identification and genetic counselling can help affected families understand the condition and make informed decisions.