Lok Sabha Question No. 1066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Anaemia among Tribal Women
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1066 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5 TH DECEMBER 2025

## ANAEMIAAMONGTRIBALWOMEN

## 1066. SMT. PRIYANKAGANDHI VADRA:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of the high incidence of anaemia among tribal women and children in Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency and if so, the action taken by the Government to address the same;

(b) the total number and percentage of adolescent girls and women of reproductive age including tribal women and adolescents covered under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) programme in Wayanad since 2018, year-wise;

(c) the details of the proportion of beneficiaries who completed the recommended Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) dosage as per programme guidelines;

(d) whether an impact assessment has been conducted to identify cultural or behavioural reasons for non-compliance in tribal areas of Kerala, especially in Wayanad district; and

(e) if so, the details thereof including the findings and corrective actions initiated to improve compliance in this regard

## ANSWER

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

## (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) Status of anemia prevalence among women and children in the State of Kerala and Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency as per the National Family Health Survey- 5 (2019-21) is placed at the Annexure I .

The Government of India implements Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy to reduce prevalence of anemia among six beneficiaries age group - children (6-59 months), children (5 -9 years), adolescents (10-19 years), pregnant and lactating women and in women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) in life cycle approach through implementation of six interventions via robust institutional mechanism. These six interventions include Prophylactic

Iron and Folic Acid supplementation (IFA Syrup provided biweekly to Children 6-59 months, IFA Pink tablets provided to Children 5-9 years, IFA Blue tablets provided to Adolescent 1019 years, IFA Red tablets provided weekly to Women of Reproductive age group and IFA Red tablets daily for 180 days provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers), Deworming (Pregnant women provided albendazole tablet in second trimester and all children provided albendazole tablets during National Deworming Day), Intensified Behavioural Change Communication campaign, Testing for anemia and treatment as per anemia management protocols, Mandatory provision of IFA fortified food in public health programmes and Addressing non nutritional causes of anemia especially malaria, fluorosis and hemoglobinopathies.

(b) and (c) Under Anemia Mukt Bharat programme, the coverage of prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid supplementation among adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in the State of Kerala and Wayanad district is placed at Annexure II.

(d) The main reasons cited by the State of Kerala for non-compliance in tribal areas of Kerala are cultural norms and traditional practices such as tobacco chewing, frequent intake of tea and coffee which reduces iron intake and absorption.

(e) As reported by the State of Kerala, various activities are undertaken to improve compliance in the tribal areas ,which include carrying out regular testing for anemia at Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM), health education classes using culturally appropriate method and broadcasting jingles in tribal languages through community radio, 'Mattoli'.

Under Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB), Intensified Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) is conducted to improve the compliance of IFA tablets and deworming, increase intake of ironrich food, protein-rich and vitamin C-rich foods through dietary diversification and food fortification.

***

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1066 for answer on 05.12.2025

## Annexure I

|   S. No. | Indicator                                                                        | Wayanad District   | Kozhikode District   | Malappura mDistrict   |   Kerala |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|----------|
|        1 | Children age 6-59 months who are anaemic (<11.0 g/dl) (%)                        | 39.4               | 32.1                 | 47.2                  |     39.4 |
|        2 | Children age 6-59 months among Scheduled Tribes who are anaemic (<11.0 g/dl) (%) | *                  | *                    | *                     |     57.6 |
|        3 | All women age 15-19 years who are anaemic (%)                                    | 27.7               | 32.6                 | 38.1                  |     32.5 |
|        4 | Non-pregnant women age 15- 49 years who are anaemic (<12.0 g/dl) (%)             | 27.0               | 30.2                 | 34.5                  |     36.5 |
|        5 | Pregnant women age 15-49 years who are anaemic (<11.0 g/dl) (%)                  | 23.3               | 23.2                 | 41.1                  |     31.4 |
|        6 | All women age 15-49 years who are anaemic (%)                                    | 26.9               | 29.8                 | 34.7                  |     36.3 |
|        7 | All women age 15-49 years among Scheduled Tribes who are anaemic (%)             | *                  | *                    | *                     |     52.9 |

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (b) and (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1066 for answer on 05.12.2025

## Annexure II

## A. Coverage of prophylactic IFA supplementation among adolescent girls from FY 2018-19 to FY 2024-25*

|                      | Wayand District         | Wayand District   | Kerala                  | Kerala       |
|----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|--------------|
| Year                 | Number of Beneficiaries | Coverage (%)      | Number of Beneficiaries | Coverage (%) |
| FY 2018-19           | -                       | 0                 | 10,79,744               | 79.4         |
| FY 2019-20           | -                       | 0                 | 211                     | 0            |
| FY 2020-21           | -                       | 0                 | -                       | 0            |
| FY 2021-22           | -                       | 0                 | 1,336                   | 0.1          |
| FY 2022-23           | 12,685                  | 35.6              | 61,138                  | 4.5          |
| FY 2023-24           | 610                     | 1.7               | 1,08,436                | 8            |
| FY 2024-25           | 14,969                  | 42.1              | 2,83,998                | 20.9         |
| April-September 2025 | 49,186                  | 95                | 10,84,742               | 79.8         |

- B. Coverage of prophylactic IFA supplementation among Women of Reproductive Age from FY 2018-19 to FY 2024-25*

|                      | Wayand District         | Wayand District   | Kerala                  | Kerala       |
|----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|--------------|
| Year                 | Number of Beneficiaries | Coverage (%)      | Number of Beneficiaries | Coverage (%) |
| FY 2018-19           | -                       | -                 | -                       | -            |
| FY 2019-20           | -                       | -                 | -                       | -            |
| FY 2020-21           | -                       | -                 | -                       | -            |
| FY 2021-22           | -                       | -                 | -                       | -            |
| FY 2022-23           | -                       | -                 | -                       | -            |
| FY 2023-24           | 1206                    | 0.6               | 67871                   | 2.4          |
| FY 2024-25           | 3047                    | 1.6               | 95521                   | 3.3          |
| April-September 2025 | 6596                    | 3.5               | 15338                   | 5.3          |

* (Source: As reported by the State of Kerala in the Health Management Information System -HMIS)