Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Dec 26: Out of 61,749 students studying in 195 educational institutions across Dakshina Kannada, 4,024 are suffering from anaemia. Among them, 268 children are severely affected, while 3,740 have moderate levels of the condition.
The state government launched the AMPK (Anaemia Mukta Paushtika Karnataka) project last year to combat anaemia and malnutrition among newborns, children, adolescents, pregnant women, and mothers. Follow-up actions began across all districts, and the findings have now been made public.
In Mangaluru, 37,735 students were targeted for testing, but only 22,232 were screened. Among them, 2,085 students had moderate anaemia, 2,315 showed mild severity, and 207 were found to have severe anaemia. Mangaluru recorded the highest number of cases in Dakshina Kannada.
In Bantwal, of the 6,810 students from 28 educational institutions, eight reported severe anaemia, 462 had mild severity, and 639 had moderate anaemia.
In Beltangady, out of 5,323 students from 24 institutions, eight were severely affected, 232 showed mild severity, and 346 had moderate anaemia.
In Puttur, of the 5,822 students from 27 institutions, 510 had moderate anaemia, 277 were mildly affected, and three were severely affected.
In Sullia, out of 3,295 students from 16 institutions, 444 had moderate anaemia, 454 were mildly severe, and 42 were severely affected.
According to health department officials, students diagnosed with anaemia are being provided with two tablets daily for 90 days, which has helped reduce the issue to some extent. Special medical care is being provided for severe cases.
Dr Naveen Bhat, a paediatrician, stated, “Anaemia hampers cognitive and intellectual development in children, reduces their health resilience, and affects adults' capability and productivity. In pregnant women, it can lead to complications, increasing the risk of infant mortality.”
Sunil, a child health expert, added, “Chronic anaemia negatively impacts the nervous system in babies, resulting in behavioural differences and reduced learning abilities in children.”