Context:
A recent study suggests that iron deficiency, responsible for only a minority of anaemia cases in India, calls for more nuanced policy interventions to address the condition.
What is Anaemia?
- Anaemia: Condition with below-normal RBCs or haemoglobin levels, reducing oxygen supply to tissues.
- Types of Anaemia:
- Iron-Deficiency Anaemia: Caused by insufficient iron for haemoglobin production.Commonly due to poor diet, blood loss, or absorption issues.
- Vitamin-Deficiency Anaemia: Caused by lack of Vitamin B12 or folate, essential for RBC production.
- Aplastic Anaemia: Bone marrow fails to produce enough RBCs.
- Sickle Cell Anaemia: Genetic condition with abnormally shaped RBCs, causing blockages and reduced oxygen flow.
- Hemolytic Anaemia: Premature destruction of RBCs.
- Thalassemia: Genetic disorder causing abnormal haemoglobin production.
- Anaemia of Chronic Disease: Associated with long-term illnesses like cancer or kidney disease.
Status of Anaemia in India:
- Prevalence Trends:
- Prevalence among women (reproductive age): Increased from 53.2% (NFHS-4) to 57.2% (NFHS-5).
- In children: Increased from 58.6% to 67.1%.
- Recent study shows lower prevalence compared to NFHS:
- Women (15–49 years): 41.1% (study) vs. 60.8% (NFHS-5).
- Adolescent girls (15–19 years): 44.3% vs. 62.6%.
- Adolescent boys: 24.3% vs. 31.8%.
- Iron Deficiency:
- Only 9% of anaemia cases due to iron deficiency.
- 22% cases from unknown causes.
- Geographic Variation: States like Assam: High anaemia prevalence (50%-60%) but low iron deficiency (18%).
Factors Contributing to Rising Anaemia:
- Nutritional Deficiencies:
- Deficiency in Vitamin B12, folate, and other erythropoietic nutrients.
- Erythropoietic nutrients aid hemoglobin synthesis and erythropoiesis.
- Environmental Factors: Air pollution and unhygienic environments exacerbate anaemia prevalence.
- Blood Collection Methods: Capillary blood samples (used in NFHS) may overestimate anaemia prevalence due to contamination with body fluids.
- Dietary Patterns: Inadequate dietary diversity limits nutrient absorption.
Government Initiatives to Tackle Anaemia:
- Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) Strategy (2018):
- Aim: Reduce anaemia prevalence across six age groups.
- 6x6x6 strategy: Includes six interventions, six beneficiary groups, and six institutional mechanisms.
- National Deworming Day (NDD) (2015):
- Biannual mass deworming for children and adolescents (1–19 years).
- Reduces worm infestations contributing to anaemia.
- National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2023):
- Aim: Eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem by 2047.
- Focus: Screening, diagnosis, and management in tribal areas.
- Strengthening Supply Chains for IFA Supplements:
- Ensure uninterrupted availability of iron and folic acid supplements across health centers.
- National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Anaemia Control (NCEAR-A) (2018):
- Enhance capacity building.
- Develop training toolkits for healthcare providers.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy:
1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of child-birth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC CSE – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 1 incorrect: The Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) Strategy emphasizes prophylactic iron and folic acid supplementation essential for hemoglobin production, but it does not include calcium supplementation.