Nearly half the women in state anaemic

HEALTH WOES Survey shows marginal decrease — from 53,1% to 46.8%; 60% kids below five years of age also anaemic

More than 46% women in the state are anaemic, reveals a health survey.

According to National Family Health Survey -4 (2015-16), Rajasthan has 46.8% anaemic women in the 15-49 age group. Although the number anaemic women in the state have come down from 53.1% in 200-06 (NFHS-3) to 46.8%, it’s still a cause for concern.

Anaemia, a condition in which the blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, results from under-nutrition and poor dietary intake of iron. It is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body.

According to this survey, 60.3% children between six and 59 months are anaemic, while 46.8% non-pregnant women (15-49 years) and 46.6% pregnant women (15-49 years) are anaemic. According to the last survey (NHFS-3), 69.6% children, 52.6% non-pregnant women and 61.7% pregnant women (in the abovementioned age group) were anaemic.

Among men, the number was 17.2% (15-49 years) in NFHS 4 compared to 23.6% in NFHS 3

Rajasthan’s reproductive and child health director Dr VK Mathur said anaemia is a grave public health concern that has a multifaceted adverse impact on human beings.

“It affects the cognitive performance, behaviour and physical growth of infants, pre-school and school going children. In adolescents, it affects physical growth, weakens cognitive development, reduces energy levels and work capacity. In pregnant women, it enhances the risk of pre-term delivery and babies with low birth weight, especially in teenage pregnancies,” said Dr Mathur.

“Anaemia in pregnant women also reduces their ability to survive bleeding during and after childbirth, increasing the risk of maternal mortality. Around 20% maternal deaths in India are attributable to anaemia,” he added.

Dr Mathur said according to World Health Organisation, weekly iron and folic acid supplement is the key to prevent anaemia and in Rajasthan, a programme to give weekly iron and folic acid supplementation (WIFS) was started in 2013.

“All students of class VI to XII of government schools are administered iron folic acid (IFA) tablets every Monday in school and out of school adolescent girls aged 10-19 years are given iron folic acid tablets at anganwari centres. Apart from this, adolescents are educated about correct dietary practices and increasing iron intake,” he added.

Later from October 2015, children aged between six and 60 months were administered iron folic acid syrup bi-weekly throughout the period of six to 60 months of age by accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and anganwari coordinators along with students aged between five and 10 years of class I to IV of government schools were administered iron folic acid tablets on a weekly basis at schools, he informed.

ANAEMIA, A CONDITION IN WHICH THE BLOOD DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH HEALTHY RED BLOOD CELLS, RESULTS FROM UNDERNUTRITION AND POOR INTAKE OF IRON

Children age 6-59 months who are anaemic

Non-pregnant women age

15-49 years who are anaemic Pregnant women age 15-49 months who are anaemic

All women age 15-49 years who are anaemic

Men age 15-49 years who are anaemic 15.2 18 23.6