State-Level Program and Medical Training Workshop on World Sickle Cell Day,

**Udaipur, Under the National Health Mission, a state-level program for World Sickle Cell Day will be held at the Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease at Maharana Bhupal Government Hospital on Wednesday, June 19. During the event, the 'Setu' Rapid Referral Redressal System will also be inaugurated.

On Tuesday, RNT Principal Dr. Vipin Mathur provided detailed information about the program. He mentioned that the chief guest of the event will be Tribal Area Development Minister Babulal Kharadi, with special guests including Udaipur MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat, City MLA Tarachand Jain, Rural MLA Phoolsingh Meena, Divisional Commissioner Rajendra Bhatt, Tribal Commissioner Pragya Keverlani, District Collector Arvind Poswal, Superintendent of Maharana Bhupal Government Hospital Dr. R.L. Suman, NHM Blood Cell Officer Girish Dwivedi, and medical professionals from eight districts of the state, along with various subject experts.

The workshop will feature lectures by experts including Blood Cell Coordinator Manish Chaudhary, Sickle Cell Specialist Mrs. Biba Tinga (CEO, Global Alliance of Sickle Cell Disease, Canada), Dr. Deepti Jain (Nagpur), Dr. Giriraj Chandak (Scientist, CCMB CSIR), NESCO Secretary Gautam Dongre, Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Nodal Officer Dr. Lakhan Poswal, Assistant Nodal Officer Dr. Bhupesh Jain, and Nursing In-charge Lalit Kishore Pargi.

Dr. Lakhan Poswal, Nodal Officer of the Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease, stated that this program is being organized jointly with the Sickle Cell Saksham Rajasthan Foundation. He informed that the Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease at RNT Medical College, Udaipur, was announced on February 10, 2023. This is the country's second Center of Excellence, the first being in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Following the announcement, OPD services began at the Pediatric Hospital, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, on March 1, 2023. To date, the center has registered 1,150 patients, including 300 sickle cell patients and 850 sickle cell carriers. In newborn screening for sickle cell disease, 355 infants tested positive and are being treated at the Center of Excellence. A total of 1,600 people have availed OPD services so far. The Center offers daily OPD, VOC and transfusion wards, all vaccinations, counseling, and other services.

**Inauguration of Setu Program:**

Dr. Vipin Mathur mentioned that during the program, the Setu (Rapid Referral Redressal System) will also be inaugurated by the guests. The Setu program is an advanced initiative designed to provide better and quicker medical assistance to patients. This system will streamline the referral process between referral hospitals and RNT Medical College, ensuring patients receive prompt and efficient services. Physicians in referral hospitals will scan a QR code to submit referral information online, which will then be immediately sent to the control room. This will be the first control room and call center of its kind in the state.

He explained that the referral information will be displayed in real-time across all related emergency departments via installed LED screens. The control room will contact the patient to confirm their arrival and estimated time, and will inform the emergency department accordingly. Coordinators will be placed in the emergency department, where they will be briefed on the patient's condition and needs. Based on the prior information, the emergency department will be prepared for the patient's arrival. For the first time, specialty services will also be available in the emergency department, and if the referring physician has selected this service in the referral information, the relevant specialist will be contacted by the control room and will be present before the patient arrives. Upon arrival, the patient will receive immediate medical assistance.

Dr. Mathur stated that all necessary tests will be available in the emergency department itself. A dedicated emergency lab will be established in the coming days, and until then, tests will be conducted through a green corridor with lab assistants available 24/7. All officers and employees working in emergency services will be provided with CUG phones for easy contact.

The implementation of this system will reduce waiting times, enable better management of resources with prior information about serious patients, improve communication between referral hospitals and RNT Medical College, provide super specialty services in the emergency department, and ensure patients benefit from all government schemes.