Despite tall claims, anaemia continues to be a big worry
BHUBANESWAR: Despite various interventions and targeted programmes to improve nutrition levels in children and women, Odisha continues to battle high anaemia rates in the population.
As per the latest survey conducted by the government from April to September this year, overall anaemia level in the state stood at 47.7 per cent against 46.7 per cent during the corresponding period last year.
This stagnation has raised concern as the state had recorded a significant decline in overall anaemia prevalence from 64.2 per cent during the last national family health survey (NFHS-5) in 2019-21 to 46.7 per cent in 2023. Among children aged 6-59 months, anaemia levels had dropped from 64.2 per cent in 2019-21 to 38.4 per cent in 2023.
However, in the past year, the incidence seems to have risen up to 41.5 per cent in many districts. Anaemia level among adolescent girls too witnessed a minor rise from 41.6 per cent in September 2023 to 42.2 per cent this year. It was 65.5 per cent in 2019-21.
Among pregnant women, anaemia prevalence marginally decreased from 56.5 per cent in 2023 to 56.4 per cent in 2024, and from 63.8 per cent to 63.2 per cent among lactating mothers over the same period.
This trend has come to the fore at a time when the Ministry of Women and Child Development data suggested the reduction in malnutrition indicators among children was due to implementation of Mission Poshan 2.0. In a statement in Rajya Sabha last week, minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi claimed that stunting among children in Odisha has come down from 30.6 per cent in 2022 to 29.1 per cent in 2024, wasting from 5.9 per cent to 2.9 per cent and underweight from 14.7 per cent to 12.8 per cent.
Public health experts said it is hard to believe the reduction in malnutrition indicators when there is no or little change in anaemia prevalence rate. “A more targeted approach can curb anaemia. While the initial drop in anaemia levels indicates ground works, sustaining that progress requires a robust and decentralised implementation strategy,” said a health expert.
