Question : Anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls

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

(a) whether the cases of Anaemia among women and adolescent girls and deaths therefrom have increased in the country despite several measures taken by the Government;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of such incidences reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise including Andhra Pradesh;

(c) the details of the schemes/ programmes being implemented by the Government to check anaemia cases in the country;

(d) the funds sanctioned, released and utilized during each of the last three years and the current year, programme/schemewise and State/UT-wise;

(e) whether the cases of irregularities/ corruption in implementation of the said schemes/programmes in the country have come to the notice of the Government during the said period, if so, the details thereof along with the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard; and

(f) the other steps taken by the Government to tide over the challenge of anaemia?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a) to (b): As per the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) (2005-06), 55 percent women and 56 percent adolescent girls were anaemic. However, recently conducted National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) (2015-16), provides information for 15 States & UTs till date, which shows a decline in anaemia prevalence in women (age 15 to 49 years) in most of these States as compared to NFHS-3.

The State-wise details of anaemia prevalence in women and adolescent girls as per the NFHS-3 and NFHS-4 (only for 15 States/UTs) are provided in Annexure-1.

(c) to (f): Government has taken many steps in order to check anaemia in the country. The details of these schemes/programmes are as below:

• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched National Iron Plus Initiative for prevention and treatment of anaemia in a life cycle approach as under:
? For all under-five children, there is provision of supervised biweekly iron folic acid supplementation by ASHA
? Weekly IFA tablet supplementation to children 5 – 10 years and adolescents 11 – 19 years
? Bi-annual Deworming to all children 1 – 19 years
? Every pregnant woman is given 100 tablets of iron and folic acid, after the first trimester, to be taken 1 tablet daily and same is continued during the post natal period. Pregnant women, who are found to be clinically anaemic, are given additional 100 tablets for taking two tablets daily. This has been now expanded to 6 month during ANC and 6 month during PNC.
• Universal screening of pregnant women for anaemia is a part of ante-natal care and all severely anaemic mothers are line listed and followed up for comprehensive management at higher facilities.
• Identification and tracking of severely anaemic cases at all the sub centres and PHCs for their timely management.
• Both the Health Management Information System & Mother Child Tracking System are reporting the cases of anaemic and severely anaemic pregnant women.
• In malaria endemic areas, to tackle the problem of anaemia due to malaria particularly in pregnant women and children, Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITBNs) are being distributed.
• Health and nutrition education through IEC & BCC to promote dietary diversification, inclusion of iron folate rich food as well as food items that promotes iron absorption.
• Safe Motherhood Booklet is being distributed to the pregnant women for educating them on dietary diversification and promotion of consumption of IFA.
• Funds for anaemia prevention and control programme for women is being provided as a part of annual programme implementation plan budget to the States/UTs which are approved in the National Programme Coordination Committee.
• The details of fund sanctioned and utilized for the anaemia prevention and control programme for adolescent girls during the last three years are provided in Annexure 2.
• The programmes related to anaemia are being implemented by the States/UTs. However, no case of corruption and irregularities in implementation of these schemes/programmes has been reported in last three years.
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