The State has 46.67 per cent pregnant women and 51 per cent common women, in the age groups of 15-49 years in both the cases, anaemic as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 conducted in 2015-16, informed Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena in the State Assembly on Thursday.
In response to a question of Congress MlA Nabakishore Das, the Minister said the anemia rates in both pregnant and common women categories have declined by 20.5 per cent and 10.1 per cent, respectively, compared to the NFHS-3 conducted in 2005-06.
Similarly, the Minister stated that the underweight and anemia rates in children have declined by 6.3 per cent and 20.4 per cent, correspondingly, between the two surveys.
As per the NFHS-4, there were 34.4 per cent children in the age group of under-5 years’ underweight and 44.6 per cent children in 6-59 months’ age group anemic.
The major reasons behind women getting anemic and underweight are worms, lack of iron and vitamins, lack of nutritious foods, marriage before 18 year’s age, frequent conceives, conceive-related problems and haemoglobinopathy reasons like thalassemia, sickle cell and malaria. Similarly, anemia in mother, underweight in mother, lack of nutritious food, more children in low time gaps, worm infection, malaria and underweight at birth are the major reasons that cause of anemia and underweight in children.
The Minister stated that anemia and underweight women who are at risk are provided Red Card and treatment is done accordingly. To check malaria-related anemia, medicinal mosquito nets and nutritious foods are being provided to women. Similarly, children (of different ages) are being vaccinated and provided with iron syrups, anti-work tablets and zinc tablets.
The Government has set targets to achieve sharp reduction in anemic and underweight in children and women at shorter periods, said the Minister.