BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is home to about 3.7 million adolescent girls of whom 2.3 million (61 per cent) are anaemic as per the National Family Health Survey-III. Worse, half of these adolescent girls become mothers at this age. The survey further states that 69 per cent of pregnant women in the State are anaemic against the national percentage of 58. With anaemia being one of the primary reasons behind the high infant and maternal mortality rates, the State Government had implemented the Adolescent Anaemia Control Programme in nine districts in 2009. Based on the positive results of the programme, the Government on Wednesday extended it to the remaining 21 districts. Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Women & Child Development, Arti Ahuja said even as Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) tablets will be supplied to adolescent girls including those in the rural areas as a part of the programme, consumption of the tablets should be monitored for proper implementation. Though schools provide iron pills to girls, only a few consume it. Ahuja said anaemic mothers deliver low birth weight babies who are prone to develop anaemia. She further said high anaemia in Odisha is not only due to under nutrition but also due to chronic blood loss caused by malaria and hook worm. As per the NFHS-III, 65 pc of breast-feeding mothers, 74 pc of ST women and 69 pc of women in the lowest income group are anaemic. Health and Family Welfare Secretary Anu Garg said under the Programme, IFA tablets will be supplied to all 21 districts for distribution among the adolescent girls and procurement has been made. Regular haemoglobin checks for girls in both tribal schools and regular schools run by the School & Mass Education Department will be carried out on weekly basis,” she added.
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