Lok Sabha Question No. 5701 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Anaemia among Women
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5701 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH JULY, 2019

## ANAEMIA AMONG WOMEN

## 5701. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of excessive number of women affected b anaemia in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to include anaemia under Mission Indradhanush, if so, t details thereof;
- (c) if not, the effective steps being taken by the Government to tackle anaemia; and (d) the funds allocated to tackle anaemia in the country including B undelkhand during the last three years?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS) -IV (2015 - 16), the prevalence of anemia among women aged15 to 49 years is 53.1 % .
- (b) : No.

Mission  Indradhanush  is  an  immunization  programme  for  reaching  the  unvaccinated  and partially vaccinated children and pregnant women with immunization.

- ( c) : Under the National Health Mission (NHM), the steps taken to t ackle anaemia are:
1. Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) programme has been launched in the year 2018 as part of Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) Program for accelerating the annual rate of decline  of  anemia  from  one  to  three  percentage  points.  The  tar get  groups  for AMB areChildren 6 - 59 months, 5- 9 years, Adolescent Girls & Boys of 10 - 9 years, Women of Reproductive Age (15 - 49 years), pregnant Women and Lactating mothers.
2. Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme is being implemented to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst adolesc girls and boys. The intervention under WIFS include supervised weekly ingestion of Folic Acid (IFA) tablet (each IFA tablet contains 100mg elemental iron and 500µg folic acid) for 52 weeks in a year. Biannual administration of Albendazole 400mg is being done to control worm infestation.
3. Universal screening, line listing and follow up of all pregnant women for anemia is of ante - natal care. Every pregnant woman is given iron and folic acid supplementation in antenatal  and  post - natal  period  for  six  months  each.  All  Pregnant  Women  are  also counselled on nutrition.
4. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) has been launched to focus on conducting  special  ANC  check - ups  on  9th  of  every  month  with  the  help  of  Medical officers/ OBGYN to detect and treat cases of anemia.
5. Operationalization of   Blood Banks in District Hospitals and Blood Storage Unit i ub district facilities such as Sub - Divisional  Hospital/ Community Health Centers is being undertaken to manage severe anemia.
6. To manage the problem of anemia due to malaria particularly in pregnant women an children,  Long  Lasting  Insecticide  Nets  (LLIN )  and  Insecticide  Treated  Bed  Nets (ITBNs) are being distributed in endemic areas.
7. MCP Cards and Safe Motherhood Booklets are being distributed to the pregnant women for educating them on dietary diversification and promotion of consumption of IFA.
8. Info rmation,  Education  and  Communication  (IEC)  material  in  the  form  of  posters hoardings, wall - writings and audio - visuals have been developed & disseminated to the States/UTs to promote prevention of anaemia, dietary diversification, inclusion o folate rich food as well as food items that promote iron absorption.
- (d) : The funds allocated to tackle anaemia in the country including Bundelkhand during last three years is Rs 326.39 crores (2016 - 17), Rs 410.14 crores (2017 - 18), and Rs 998.85 crores (2018- 19).