In 2018, the Government of India launched the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy with the target to reduce anaemia in the vulnerable age groups such as women, children and adolescents in life cycle approach providing preventive and curative mechanisms through a 6X6X6 strategy including six target beneficiaries, six interventions and six institutional mechanisms for all stakeholders to implement the strategy. Under AMB strategy, the interventions for tackling the problem of anaemia in all the States and UTs include:

Prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation in all six target age groups

Intensified year-round Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Campaign for:(a) improving compliance to Iron Folic Acid supplementation and deworming, (b) enhancing appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, (c) encouraging increase in intake of iron-rich food through diet diversity/quantity/frequency and/or fortified foods with focus on harnessing locally available resources, and (d) ensuring delayed cord clamping after delivery (by 3 minutes) in health facilities

Testing and treatment of anaemia, using digital methods and point of care treatment, with special focus on pregnant women and school-going adolescents Addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis

Management of severe anaemia in pregnant women undertaken by administration of IV Iron Sucrose/Blood transfusion

Providing incentives to the ANM for identification and follow-up of pregnant women with severe anaemia in high priority districts (HPDs)

Training and orientation of Medical Officers and front line-workers on newer Maternal Health and Anaemia Mukt Bharat guidelines

Field level awareness by ASHAs through community mobilization activities and IEC and BCC activities

The prevalence of anaemia among six groups as per the National Family Health Survey 5 (2019-21), is 25.0 percent in men (15-49 years) and 57.0 percent in women (15-49 years). 31.1 percent in adolescent boys (15-19 yrs), 59.1 percent in adolescent girls,52.2 percent in pregnant women (15-49 years) and 67.1percent in children (6-59 months).

FewStates/UTs have shown decline in anaemia prevalence, details on theState/UT-wiseprevalenceof anaemia among six identified population groupsare placed at annexure.

The measures taken by the Government to make AMB programme more effective are:

working with other line departments and ministries for strengthening implementation

engaging National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Anaemia Control (NCEAR-A) at AIIMS, Delhi in capacity building of health care providers strengthening supply chain and logistics

development of AMB Training Toolkit for capacity building of health care providers in anaemia management and recent launch of Anaemia Mukt Bharat e-Training Modules to facilitate training of the health care providers through virtual platform amid COVID 19 pandemic which has posed a challenge in capacity building through physical trainings.

Health is a State subject and the primary responsibility for strengthening health care services including implementation of national programs lies with the respective State/UT government. However, Government is taking steps to improve the condition of anaemia among all identified groups in all States/UTs. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides financial and technical support to States/UTs under NHM as proposed during annual Programme Implementation Plan. Covid-19 pandemic has also hampered AMB programme implementation contributing to anaemia prevalence among all the age groups

Annexure



The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.