The Odisha Government has decided to address the issue of anaemia in schoolchildren by supplying iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets to students during the summer vacation under the Anaemia Mukt Laksha Abhiyan (AMLAN). Students of all Government and Government-aided schools will avail the tablets.

According to a notification issued by the School and Mass Education Department, the students of Classes-I to XII will be given IFA tablets from April 19 to June 16, 2023.

“The students need to be provided with prophylactic doses (one IFA tablet weekly on Monday) during the summer vacation. The schoolteachers are requested to distribute IFA tablets (eight IFA tablets) for each student as per the prophylactic applicability,” the notification read.

While the IFA (Pink) tablet will be distributed to Classes-I to V students, the IFA (Blue) tablet is meant for the students of Classes-VI to XII.

“The IFA tablets must be handed over to the parents at the doorstep after verifying the expiry date of the tablets. Expired tablets should not be distributed. If IFA tablets are expired then they should be returned to the health facility,” the notification stated.

"Each student (only for prophylactic cases) must consume one IFA tablet every Monday after lunch/dinner in presence of their parent/guardian along with a glass of drinking water. Wherever possible, the SMC should monitor the consumption of IFA tablets by the schoolchildren at home during this summer vacation and also guide them if necessary," the letter read further.

According to Dr Ashok Acharya, IFA is a combination drug primarily used to treat anaemia. It boosts the production of red blood cells (RBCs) in the body. As a result, an adequate number of RBCs are produced and each tissue gets an adequate supply of oxygen.