With the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Indian government is working closely to tackle the problem of anaemia that affects more than 50 per cent of pregnant women in the country.
Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, minister of state for health and family welfare, told Parliament, “According to recently released National Family Health Survey V data, 52.2 per cent pregnant women in India, who are in the age group of 15-49 years, are estimated to be anaemic.”
With Ladakh, Bihar and Gujarat seeing the highest percentages 78.1 per cent, 63.1 per cent and 62.6 per cent respectively, she pointed out that the issue is prevalent across the country. In contrast Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have the lowest percentages, 27. 9 per cent, 22.9 per cent and 20.9 per cent respectively.
The Centre has taken measures to tackle the problem, Dr Pawar informed Parliament. “In 2018, the government launched the ‘Anaemia Mukt Bharat’ strategy with the aim to reduce anaemia among women, children and adolescents,” she said.
The mission includes multiple measures such as addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia, testing for anaemia using digital methods and managing causes of severe anaemia in pregnant women through IV iron sucrose treatment or blood transfusion.
Between the periods spanning 2015-16 and 2019-2021, the data from the survey shows a 1.8 per cent increase in the number of pregnant women reported to be anaemic, in the age group of 15-49 years.
