ANAEMIA – SCI & TECH
News: Anaemia:
major flaws in a tea fortification study
What's in the news?
● A small study carried out in Sangli, Maharashtra on 43 women participants to evaluate the effectiveness of tea fortification with folate and vitamin B12 to address anaemia and prevent neural-tube defects in children is riddled with problems.
Stats on Anaemia:
● The
recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data shows anaemia rates
increased from 53 percent to 57 percent
in women and 58 percent to 67
percent in children in 2019-21.
Anaemia:
● The
WHO defines anaemia as a condition where the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them
is lower than normal.
● This
compromises immunity and impedes cognitive development.
Why is anaemia a concern?
● Adverse
effects of anaemia affect all age groups, lower physical and cognitive growth
and alertness among children and adolescents, and lesser capacity to learn and
play, directly impacting their future potential as productive citizens.
● Anaemia
among adolescent girls (59.1 percent) advances to maternal anaemia and is a major cause of maternal and infant
mortality and general morbidity and ill health in a community.
Government Measures:
Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB):
● It
is a strategy with the target to reduce anaemia in women, children and
adolescents in a life cycle approach.
● It
includes testing of anaemia using
digital methods and point-of-care treatment.
Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS):
● Government
implements Anganwadi Services, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and a Scheme
for Adolescent Girls under the Umbrella of ICDS as targeted interventions to
address the problem of malnutrition in the country.
POSHAN Abhiyaan:
● It
is a flagship national nutrition mission to improve nutrition among children,
pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Community-based programmes:
● The
introduction of community-based programmes for severe acute malnutrition, Jan
Andolans, and community-based events, as well as the strengthening
collaboration across departments has led to the implementation of a holistic
approach to addressing malnutrition.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
● It
is a school meal programme in India designed to better the nutritional standing
of school-age children.