The Centre for Research Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies (CRMCH) has been established at Chandrapur (around 150 KM from Nagpur), Maharashtra by the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, under the aegis of ICMR-National Institute of Immunohaematolgy, Mumbai. This centre is devoted to research, training, translation as well as service and capacity-building in Hemoglobinopathies. The centre has administrative, auditorium & laboratory building, student hostel, staff housing, guest houses and is equipped with high end instruments as well as state of art facilities.
To develop a State of Art Research and Training Centre as well as for Innovative Research, Technology Development and Translating this using appropriate technologies for the benefit of the patients with infrastructure and opportunities at par with any International Centre.
To undertake research programmes and develop newer technologies for understanding the pathophysiology and diverse clinical presentation of various hemoglobin disorders, their early diagnosis and improved management as well as serve as a Training Centre for Haemoglobinopathies for the country to develop manpower who could serve the undeserved areas where hemoglobinopathies is a major health burden.
The haemoglobinopathies in particular Sickle Cell Disease are a major health burden in the Vidarbha region of Central India including Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Wardha, Amravati, Gondia, Bhandara and Nagpur districts which have a huge tribal population and other weaker sections of society where carrier frequencies of the sickle gene can be as high as 25 to 30% in many of these communities. There are around 12000 Sickle Cell Disease patients in Vidharbha region and over 3000 Sickle Cell Disease patients in Chandrapur alone who require optimum management and there may be many more who are undiagnosed. Estimated numbers of sickle cell carriers in Vidharbha is aprox. 4,00,000. β-thalassemia patients are also seen in this region. There is a lack of diagnostic and management facilities in most of these places.
Realizing the magnitude of the problem, it was felt that a Centre for Research, Management & Control of Heamoglobinopathies should be established by ICMR at Chandrapur under the supervision of ICMR-National Institute of Immunohaematology, Mumbai. This centre will play a lead role in the development of the National Haemoglobinopathies Control Programme.