Lok Sabha Question No. 879 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-05
Subject: Bone disease in Women
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Queen Oja, Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 879 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH FEBRUARY, 2021

## BONE DISEASE IN WOME N

## 879. SHRIMATI QUEEN OJA: DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRU BHAI SHIYAL:

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

- (a) whether anatomical abnormal health of bone cause bone fracture among millions of people everyyear;
- (b)  if  so,  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government for  ensuring  normal  heal th  of  bone  and muscles of adolescent girls, pregnant women and breast feeding mothers; and
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to check the intestine infection and increase the levels of calcium among children?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to weaken.  Weakened bones are more pr to break or fracture.

Information  regarding  exact  number  of  peo ple  suffering  from  bone  fractures  in  the country is not   maintained centrally.

- (b): Some  of  the  steps  taken  by  Govt.  of  India  to  improve  health    &  nutritional  sta children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and breast feeding mothers are :
- 1) Under Reproductiveand Child Health (RCH) Programme of NationalHealth Mission of MoHFW, various interventions are being implemented to improve the health of mother and children which have implications on nutritional status of children. Th ese are: -
- (i)  Promotion of appropriate infantand young child feeding practices  (IYCF) that include  early  Initiation  of  breastfeeding and  exclusive breastfeeding till  6 months of  age during the Village Health and Nutrition Days and househol d visits for counseling by ASHAs.
- (ii) Treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition at special units called the Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs).

(iii)  Management  of  under - nutrition  and  common  neonatal  and  childhood  illnesses  at community a nd facility level by training service providers in IMNCI (Integrated Managemen Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses).

(iv)  Mothers  Absolute  Affection  (MAA)  has  been  launched  in  August,  2016  for  capacit building of health personnel for lactation support an d promotion of breast feeding.

2) Nutrition Education to increase the awareness and bring about desired changes in the practices  including  the  promotion  of  breast  feeding  and  dietary  diversification  is encouraged under both Integrated Chil Development Services Scheme (ICDS) of M/o Women and Child Development and National Health Mission (NHM) under MoHFW. Monthly Village Health and Nutrition Days an observed in villages for provision of maternal and Child Emphasis is given to intak e of green leafy vegetables and other important sources of iron a means to promote iron absorption.

3) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has formulated Standards for Fortificati food items with micronutrients such as: -

- (i) Wheat Flour : -Iron,  Folic  Acid,  Zinc,  Vit  A,  B12,  Thiamine,  Riboflavin,  Niacin Pyridoxine.
- (ii) Rice : - Iron, Folic Acid, Zinc, Vit A, B12, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxi
- (iii) Milk : - Vitamin A and D.
- (iv) Oil : -Vitamin A and D.
- (v) Salt: - Iodine or double fortified with Iodine & Iron.

(c) : Deworming  is  one  of  the  interventions  of Anemia  Mukt  Bharat  (AMB)  Strategy launched by MoHFW in April,2018 to control intestinal worm infestations.

National Deworming Day is a fixed day strategy to administer Albendazole tablets to all the  children  in  the  age  group  of  1 - 19  years  through  the  platform  of  Aaganwadi  Centres  and Schools.