‘Anaemia, the biggest killer of UP women, on the rise’

Lucknow: Anaemia has recorded an increase in the state, as per the recently released fourth National Family Health Survey. This, despite lakhs being spent in the state on improving haemoglobin levels in women.

Anaemia is a condition known to be retarding a person's efficiency besides putting his/her life at risk in case of a disease. Against 49% in 2005-06, anaemia in women in the 15-49 year age group increased to 52.4% in 2015-16.

This means that one in two women is anaemic. The pattern was observed in both urban and rural areas. In case of men, a marginal improvement was recorded (from 24.3% to 23.7%) but the fact remains that one in four men in state is anaemic.

The trend is against the general improvement recorded across India for the same period. Anaemia among women in the 15-49 year age group across the country has decreased from 55.3% in 2005-06 to 53% in NFHS-4. As per annual health survey 2014, which shows that the problem is rampant in UP, 80 % people in 0-59 years age group suffer from anaemia. An average of 92% adolescent (10-17 year) girls were anaemic. A deeper look at data revealed that anaemia in adolescent girls was highest in Mau with 99.8% prevalence while in 15 other districts of UP, it was above 95%. Women rights activist Dr Neelam Singh said that anaemia was the biggest preventable killer of women in UP. "More than 55,000 women in UP die during child birth each year. Of various reasons, anaemia alone accounts for 28% of the deaths which totals to 15,400 deaths per year or 42 deaths every day. Anaemia is a matter of women's right to life," she said. Mission director, national health mission, UP, Alok Kumar said, "Anaemia is an important factor in women's health yet consumption of iron and folic acid tablets is low. The ministry of health has increased the supply of tablets per person from 180 days to 360 days now. The idea is that even if women miss the pills, the duration will work to raise their levels." Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
Source: 'Anaemia, the biggest killer of UP women, on the rise'