New Delhi: Responding to a series of questions raised about the rising cases of anaemia among women in the country, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare recently apprised the Rajya Sabha about the measures taken by the Government to reduce the burden of this disease.
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) during the year 2019-21 reveals that the percentage of anaemia in the women of 15-49 years of age group has increased to 57.0 per cent, as compared to 53.1 per cent in NFHS-4, (2015-16) informed the Minister.
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However, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar presented a list of 13 states that reported a decline in anaemia among women of the 15-49 age group in NFHS-5 as compared to NFHS-4, the 13 states namely Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Island, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, NCT of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Responding to the question raised on the issue of anaemia among women, the State Health Minister informed the Rajya Sabha, Government has taken steps to reduce the number of cases in the country.
The Government of India implements the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy under POSHAN Abhiyaan with the target of reducing anaemia in the six population groups - Children(6-59 months), Children (5-9 years), Adolescents girls and boys (10-19 years), Pregnant women, Lactating women and Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) group (15-49 years) in life cycle approach.
Some of the key interventions under Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) are as below:
Prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation
Deworming
Intensified year-round Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Campaign and delayed cord clamping
Testing of anaemia using digital methods and point-of-care treatment
Addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with a special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis
Convergence and coordination with line department and other ministries.
Engaging National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Anaemia Control for capacity building of health care providers
Monitoring progress in States/UTs using Anaemia Mukt Bharat Dashboard
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