Admn plans to make Moga country's 1st anaemia-free district for schoolchildren

Tribune News Service

Kulwinder Sandhu

Moga, October 25

The administration plans to make Moga anaemia-free district. To achieve this, it has come up with a targeted strategy, which entails providing health supplements and nutritional diet to students aged between 10 and 19 years.

10,900 affected

In a recent survey, 10,900 students studying in government schools of the district were found to be anaemic, varying from very mild to severe.

Located in the heartland of Malwa belt, the district produces some of the best foodgrain and healthy milk with high nutritional value, but surprisingly, in a recent survey, 10,900 students studying in government schools were found to be anaemic, varying from very mild to severe.

“At least, 320 students have been found to be suffering from severe anaemia. They are studying in 83 different government schools in the district. Similarly, 4,452 students have been found to be suffering from mild anaemia and 6,128 students from very mild anaemia,” said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulwant Singh.

The country’s biggest unit of Nestle, the world’s premier food and milk processing company, is also located in Moga city. The company claims to be producing products with high nutritional value and still hundreds of students living in the vicinity suffer from anaemia.

The disease remains a serious public health problem among school-age children, impacting their growth, development, educational attainment and future learning potential.

The DC said a special drive was carried out in the past couple of months in which digital screening of students was done with haemoglobin meters.

“Efforts are being made to make Moga the first anaemia-free district of the country with regards to school-going children by the end of this year. It will be done through coordinated efforts of the Education, Health and Social Security and Child Welfare Departments,” the DC said, adding that NGO Piramal Foundation had also been roped in to achieve the target.

Dr Sukhpreet Singh Brar, Senior Medical Officer, Moga, said, “Iron and folic acid deficiency-anaemia is the most common among all age groups and genders. Prophylactic iron folic supplementation should be ensured for all, along with test and treat strategy to achieve the target.”

In the year 2010-2011, the National Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Research, in collaboration with the Punjab Government, had launched a project to use ayurvedic medicines in the state for the treatment of the disease.

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