76.7% kids anaemic in Patiala district, reveals survey

Karam Prakash

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Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 20

The wholesome development of children in district seems to be experiencing hiccups because the National Family Health Survey-5 reveals that around 76.7% of kids (up to the age of five years) are suffering from anaemia.

Unfortunately, the anaemic percentage of the Patiala district is higher than the state’s average of 71 per cent. The percentage of children suffering from anaemia has been increasing over the past few years, because in 2015, the percentage was only 49 in the district.

As per the World Health Organisation, anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration is lower than the normal. Haemoglobin is needed to carry oxygen to the entire body to generate energy. And if there is not enough haemoglobin, blood will have decreased capacity to carry oxygen to body’s tissues.

The condition causes symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath, among others.

Dr Harshinder Kaur, paediatrician, Government Rajindra Hospital, said, “Among all other deficiencies, anaemia is the one that affects the growth of children to a large extent.”

Notably, the government had conducted the said survey in two phases: pre-lockdown (January 5, 2020 to March 21, 2020) and post-lockdown (December 6 to March 31 2021). In Patiala, information was gathered from 841 households, 981 women, and 142 men.

Dr Veenu Goyal, nodal officer, said, “Covid could be one of the reasons for anaemia because Anganwadi centres had remained closed during its peaks. Though dry ration and iron syrups were provided to households, Covid did affect the health programme.”

Meanwhile, Dr Amandeep Kaur, a resident of Nabha, said, “Merely giving free health insurance schemes wouldn’t help. There is a lack of political will to address the issue. Data in the 2015-16 report was a wakeup call, but people at the helm did nothing and the situation worsened. Now, public will have to be a pressure group to make the health issue a part of agenda.”