With an aim to decrease the child and mother mortality rate in the state, the government is carrying out medical inspection of adolescent girls to check their haemoglobin level.
The district health department of Ahmedabad screened 67,000 girls in the age-group of 11-15. The findings show that 40% girls were anaemic.
The screening of the girls was suggested by revenue minister Anandiben Patel as part of chief minister Narendra Modi's one-day Sadbhavna fast at Bavla, said Vijay Nehra, district collector of Ahmedabad on Monday. The district health department has screened nearly 67,000 girls in rural areas of the district.
Of the total number of girls screened for haemoglobin, some 26,000 were found anaemic, which counts for nearly 40%, said Niraj Patel, chief district health officer of Ahmedabad. He said anaemia could be due to lack of proper diet and nutrition.
The state government will provide nutritious supplements to these girls along with iron and folic acid tablets. "We want to decrease mother mortality rate by taking precautionary steps and providing proper nutritious supplements to the future mothers," said Patel.
National Family Health Survey-3 (NHFS) findings showed that anaemia is a major health problem in Gujarat, especially among women and children. It can result in maternal mortality, weakness, diminished physical and mental capacity, increased morbidity from infectious diseases, prenatal mortality, premature delivery, low birth weight, and (in children) impaired cognitive performance, motor development, and scholastic achievement.
The survey findings also revealed that around 70% children in the age group of 6 to 59 months were anaemic. More than half (55%) of women in Gujarat have anaemia, including 36% with mild anaemia, 17% with moderate anaemia, and 3% with severe anaemia, while 61% of women who are pregnant or women who are breastfeeding are anaemic. About one-fifth of men (22%) are anaemic, with men under 20 and over 39 more likely to suffer from anaemia than men in other age groups, found out NHFS-3.
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