iGovernment
11 March 2011
Ranchi Jharkhand, India

Under the campaign, about 70 lakh adolescents between the age of 10-19 years would be encouraged to take iron folic acid and other green eatables
Jharkhand government’’s fight against anaemia has got a boost with the Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund) joining hands this week.

The campaign against the disease, particularly among teenage girls in rural areas of the state, was kicked up with the release of the latest edition of Unicef’s annual publication–The State of the World’s Children-2011.

According to Unicef’s Jharkhand Chief Job Zacharia they have targeted about 70 lakh adolescents between the age of 10-19 years to help them fight the disease.

Under the campaign, Health Department officials, non-governmental organisations and self-help groups would encourage young girls to take iron folic acid (IFA) tablets along with fruits, green vegetables, sprouts, lentils and salads in their intake habits.

According to recent findings of the National Family Health Survey, 67 per cent of the adolescent girls in the state are anaemic, compared to the national average of 56 per cent.

As per the survey report, 63 per cent adolescent girls in the state are still subjected to early marriage and childbirth, which results in high mortality and a vicious cycle of anaemia across generations.

Jharkhand’s maternal mortality rate is 312 per 1 lakh live births, higher than the national average of 254.

State Social Welfare Secretary Rajiv Arun Ekka said that the campaign had to be taken up on a war footing. Play and learn kind of events will also be organised at the schools and places of gathering for children on a regular basis.

"We are already running programmes of Sabla an anaemia control programme. State Human Resources Department’s ongoing menstrual hygiene management programme at over 13,000 schools will stand in our good stead to fight anaemia,” Ekka added.