(a) whether seventy two percent of children in the rural areas are suffering from anaemia;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and the reasons therefor;
(c) the assistance provided to each State during the last three years and the current year, State-wise; and
(d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government to check the disease among the children?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a)to(d):A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 275 FOR 22ND JULY, 2009
As per the National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS III, 2007-08), 69.5% of children below the age of 5 years,
out of which 63% in urban areas and 71.5% in the rural areas are suffering from anemia. The details thereof,
state-wise, are given at Annexure I. The wide prevalence of anaemia is mainly due to low dietary intakes of
iron in the diet.
The assistance under the Reproductive and Child Health programme is provided as a flexible pool as part of the
overall allocation under the National Rural Health Mission(NRHM) to the states. The total state wise releases
for the period 2006-07 to 2009-10 are given at Annexure II.
The steps being taken by the Government to check the disease among the children are :
# Supplementation of all children found to be anaemic with iron supplements from the
age of 6 months onwards through adolescence
# Nutrition counselling of care givers by health care personnel, utilising Village Health and Nutrition Days(VHNDs)
# Food supplements to children up to the age of 6 years under the Integrated Child Development Scheme(ICDS)
and the provision of a hot cooked meal under the Mid Day Meal scheme.
# Health and nutrition education to improve over all dietary intakes and promote consumption of iron and
folate-rich foodstuffs