Health service readiness for implementing the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka, India: a cross-sectional mixed-methods protocol

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a major public health challenge in India, disproportionately affecting tribal populations. In 2023, the Government of India launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM) to strengthen screening, diagnosis and long-term care. However, evidence on the readiness of health facilities to implement SCD-specific services under NSCAEM is limited, particularly in tribal and resource-constrained settings. This protocol outlines a systematic assessment of health-system readiness for NSCAEM implementation in a predominantly tribal district of Karnataka.