Novo Nordisk Education Foundation (NNEF), a non-profit organisation set up by Novo Nordisk India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rabindranath Tagore (RNT) Medical College, Udaipur to establish a ‘Sickle Cell Wellness Hub’ dedicated to people living with sickle cell disease (SCD).
The MoU was signed between Dr Vipin Mathur, Principal & Controller, RNT Medical College and Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Trustee, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation. Also present at the occasion were Dr R L Suman - Medical Superintendent, MB Government Hospital, Udaipur and Dr Lakhan Poswal - Senior Professor & HOD, Pediatrics and Nodal Officer, SCD Centre of Excellence, RNT medical College, Udaipur.
This public-private partnership is aligned to the Government of India’s commitment of eradicating SCD from India by 2047 as part of its National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission 2023.
The Sickle Cell Wellness Hub will offer holistic care for people living with SCD, from economically constrained backgrounds, in the state of Rajasthan. This hub shall extend a host of services to any person living with SCD including timely diagnosis, access to care, constant monitoring, dietary adjustments and counselling for other self-care activities.
The programme aims at improving the existing infrastructure for SCD care to make it children-friendly, while strengthening capacity building initiatives among HCPs for better disease management. Additionally, regular educational and awareness camps shall be organised for people living with SCD and various caregivers including healthcare practitioners (HCPs) and primary level healthcare workers like Anaganwadi workers and auxiliary nurse mid-wives.
The long-term objective of this partnership is to promote early screening and improve the lives of people living with SCD by providing them a robust and sustainable healthcare infrastructure, improved diagnosis & clinical care and extending psychological and social support tools for self-care through education.
