E-Paper
Himachal jumps to third spot in Anemia Mukt Bharat Index
National Health Mission director Dr Nipun Jindal said the feat is attributed to the consistent efforts of our field staff and robust implementation of policies
Himachal Pradesh has climbed to the third spot in the Anemia Mukt Bharat Index 2020-21 national ranking with a score of 57.1.
Madhya Pradesh is at the first position with a score of 64.1 followed by Odisha with a score of 59.3.
National Health Mission director Dr Nipun Jindal said the feat is attributed to the consistent efforts of our field staff and robust implementation of policies.
He said the state government has been employing multipronged strategies under the drive which includes, providing prophylactic iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation and de-worming of schoolgoing children besides intensified year-round behaviour change communication campaign; testing of anemia and point of care treatment; mandatory provision of IFA fortified foods in government-funded health programmes and addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia.
He said the prevalence of soil transmitted helminths had decreased from 29% to 0.3% in a short span of three years, indicating the effectiveness and implementation of the programme.
He said the comprehensive strategy was expected to yield positive results in decreasing anemia prevalence. The score card and rankings in the Anemia Mukt Bharat Index are based on certain parameters like coverage of IFA supplementation across beneficiaries to support assessment of progress and performance of the programme.
“Himachal Pradesh was at rank 18 in the year 2018-19, but with consistent efforts of the government and the field functionaries, the state was able to achieve the third spot,” said Dr Jindal.
Anemia remains a major public health issue with high prevalence across the country irrespective of gender, age and geography. India is one of the countries with anemia as a serious public health concern today. Almost 50% of the pregnant women, 59% of children fewer than five years of age, 54% of adolescent girls and 53% of non-pregnant non-lactating women in India are anemic.
Anemia during pregnancy is associated with post-partum haemorrhage, neural tube defects, low birth weight, premature births, stillbirths and maternal deaths. In other populations, anemia is associated with lowered immunity, poor cognitive development and decreased work productivity. The morbidity and mortality risks associated with anemia calls for an urgent need to design an effective strategy to address this public health problem. The decline in anaemia prevalence will in turn contribute in improved maternal and child survival rates, and improved health outcomes for other population groups.
Considering the slow progress that is less than 1% per annum in reduction of anemia from 2005 to 2015, the Government of India launched the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy under the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) Abhiyaan with the target to reduce anaemia by 3% per year.
