National Anaemia Diwas

What Is Anaemia?

The World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes anaemia as a condition wherein the quantity of red blood cells or the concentration of haemoglobin within them falls below normal levels. Haemoglobin is crucial for oxygen transport, and insufficient or abnormal red blood cells, or insufficient haemoglobin, can diminish the blood's ability to transport oxygen to the body's tissues. Indications of anaemia encompass fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath, among other symptoms. The ideal haemoglobin concentration needed to fulfill physiological requirements varies depending on factors like age, gender, altitude, smoking habits, and pregnancy status.

As per WHO, the primary causes of anaemia encompass nutritional deficiencies, predominantly iron deficiency, though deficiencies in folate, vitamins B12 and A also play significant roles. Additionally, haemoglobinopathies and infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and parasitic infections are commonly associated with anaemia.

Anaemia In India:?

More than half of India's women and children suffer from anaemia, a statistic that has climbed over the past three years. Anaemia experienced a slight decrease in India from 2005 to 2015. However, recent data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) indicate a reversal of this trend, with anaemia rates among women rising from 53 percent to 57 percent and among children from 58 percent to 67 percent between 2019 and 2021.

Recent Efforts In This Direction:?

Anaemia Mukt Bharat Programme:?

The Government of India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Programme intending to expedite the reduction of anaemia across various age groups. This initiative intensifies efforts by bolstering existing mechanisms and establishing new ones to combat anaemia. Originally established as the National Nutritional Anaemia Prophylaxis Programme (NNAPP) in 1970, its name was changed to Anaemia Mukt Bharat in 2018.

Under the POSHAN Abhiyan, the Anaemia Mukt Bharat programme targets six beneficiary groups and implements six interventions and six institutional mechanisms to achieve its goal of reducing anaemia.

Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN): This program ensures that every woman and newborn receiving care at public health facilities are provided with assured, dignified, respectful, and high-quality healthcare services, free of charge. It maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the denial of services to eliminate all preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): JSY is a scheme designed to promote institutional delivery by providing conditional cash transfers to incentivize pregnant women to give birth in healthcare facilities.

Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Under this initiative, pregnant women are entitled to free delivery services, including caesarean sections, at public health institutions. Additionally, free transport, diagnostics, medicines, consumables, and diet are provided.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA): This scheme offers pregnant women free and quality antenatal check-ups by specialists or medical officers on the 9th day of each month, ensuring their health and well-being.

National Deworming Day: MoHFW is implementing National Deworming Day (NDD) programme under which biannual mass deworming for children and adolescents in age group 1-19 years is carried on designated dates – 10th?February and 10th?August every year. Pregnant women are provided services under the strategy through antenatal care contacts (ANC clinics/ VHND) for deworming (in the second trimester)

Intensified year-round Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Campaign: for compliance to IFA and deworming; Appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF); Increase intake of iron-rich, protein-rich and vitamin C-rich foods; dietary diversification

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