Lok Sabha Question No. 2240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-28
Subject: Anaemia among Youth
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2240 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH JULY, 2017

## ANAEMIA AMONG YOUTH

## 2240. SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a high percentage of youth in the country are anaemic;
- (b) if so, the details of the facts reported therein State/UT - wise;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any effective steps to bring down iron def ciency among the young population in the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

- (a) & (b): According to National Family Health Survey - 3 (NFHS - 3) data, the prevalence of anaemia amongst adolescents aged 15 - 19 years among girls is 55.8% and among boys is 30.2% . The State - wise details are at annexure .
- (c) & (d): The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India  under National Health  Mission  in  collaboration  with  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  and  Ministry  of  Huma Resource Development is implementing Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) across  the  country,  with  the  objectiv e  of  reducing  the  prevalence  and  severity  of  nutritiona anaemia in adolescents .

The Target beneficiaries of the programme are:

Adolescent girls and boys enrolled in government/government aided/municipal schoo from 6th to 12th classes and Adolescent Girls (10 - 19 years) who are not in school.

## The strategy includes:

- a. Administration of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) -Each IFA tablet containing 100mg elemental iron and 500µg folic acid for 52 weeks in a year.
- b. Screening of target groups -for moderate/severe anaemia and referring these cases to an appropriate health facility.
- c. Biannual de - worming (Albendazole 400mg) -six months apart, for control of worm infestation.
- d. Information and counselling -for improving dietary intake and for taking actions for prevention of intestinal worm infestation.

## Anaemia Data

| SN     | State             | Anaemia in % of girls aged -15 19yrs Hb <12.0 g/dl)   | Anaemia % of boys aged 15 - 19yrs (Hb <13.0 g/dl)   |
|--------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|        | India             | 55.8                                                  | 30.2                                                |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh    | 68.3                                                  | 29.2                                                |
| 2      | Arunachal Pradesh | 51.2                                                  | 33.4                                                |
| 3      | Assam             | 67.8                                                  | 40                                                  |
| 4      | Bihar             | 66.4                                                  | 40.4                                                |
| 5      | Chhattisgarh      | 58.7                                                  | 34.6                                                |
| 6      | Delhi             | 49.7                                                  | 18                                                  |
| 7      | Goa               | 39.1                                                  | 11.9                                                |
| 8      | Gujarat           | 57.4                                                  | 28.3                                                |
| 9      | Haryana           | 57.7                                                  | 26                                                  |
| 10     | Himachal Pradesh  | 42.7                                                  | 31.6                                                |
| 11     | Jammu & Kashmir   | 53.4                                                  | 28.5                                                |
| 12     | Jharkhand         | 67.2                                                  | 41.3                                                |
| 13     | Karnataka         | 51.3                                                  | 26.9                                                |
| 14     | Kerala            | 34.7                                                  | 12                                                  |
| 15     | Madhya Pradesh    | 52.1                                                  | 33.4                                                |
| 16     | Maharashtra       | 51.7                                                  | 23.8                                                |
| 17     | Manipur           | 30.4                                                  | 11.2                                                |
| 18     | Meghalaya         | 46.5                                                  | 41.9                                                |
| 19     | Mizoram           | 39.4                                                  | 24.4                                                |
| 20     | Orissa            | 61.4                                                  | 36.1                                                |
| 21     | Punjab            | 41.4                                                  | 21.5                                                |
| 22     | Rajasthan         | 53.9                                                  | 33                                                  |
| 23     | Sikkim            | 64.1                                                  | 34.8                                                |
| 24     | Tamil Nadu        | 49.7                                                  | 25.7                                                |
| 25     | Tripura           | 59.8                                                  | 37                                                  |
| 26     | Uttar Pradesh     | 48.6                                                  | 27.2                                                |
| 27     | Uttarakhand       | 59.3                                                  | 33.3                                                |
| 28     | West Bengal       | 62                                                    | 40.1                                                |
| Source | NFHS - 3          |                                                       |                                                     |

## Annexure