Capacity Building of Primary Health Care Workers for Diagnosis and Counseling of Sickle Cell Disease: A Protocol of Implementation Research

Background

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a blood genetic disorder and a major problem among the tribal population of India. Despite the announcement of the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission, there are no structured activities in the country to diagnose, treat, and manage the disease. This study protocol aims to train health care workers i.e., Medical officers, Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery, Laboratory Technician, and Community Health Officers for diagnosis and counseling for SCD through a training program in eight SCD-endemic tribal districts of Rajasthan, India.

Methodology

The sub-districts of Udaipur, Banswara, Sirohi, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Pali, Chittorgarh, and Rajsamand will be included in the study. The sub-districts with a tribal population of more than 50% will be included in the study. The training sessions will be organized at the Health Centre in eight districts. Data for this study will be collected from pre- and post-questionnaires given to healthcare professionals during the training program. A counseling module in English and the local language will be circulated to health workers to improve their knowledge of diagnosis, management, and prevention strategies for sickle cell disease.

Discussion

The results of this study could provide information on the necessity of bolstering the capacity for implementation research in endemic areas.