Daijiworld News Network - Udupi/Manipal (GA)

• 90% of adolescents, children and pregnant women in India are anemic.

Udupi, Oct 8: A workshop on "Anemia-free India" was held at Conference Hall in Shirdi Sai Baba Cancer Hospital, Manipal near here on Sunday October 8.

Dr Pratap Kumar, HoD of Obstetrics and Gynecology, KMC, Manipal who is the Lions District coordinator for the anemia free India welcomed the gathering.  He said that there will be several workshops conducted in schools to educate about anemia all over the district. The workshop was inaugurated by MJF Lion Prakash sans, governor of Lions district 324 D4. He emphasized the need of all the Lions and the IMA members to participate in a good way to eliminate the problems of anemia.

District health officer of Udupi Dr M R Nayak released the brochure of anemia.  Dr Pradeep Kumar, president of IMA Manipal and Dr RN Bhat, president of IMA Udupi handed over the iron tablets to Madhav Rao who is the coordinator of the anganwadi training programme and to Seetharam Mahandale, head master of Kamala Bai High School at the beginning of the programme for the current year.  

Anemia is common blood disorder, occurs when the number of healthy blood cells decreases, some of the main causes is extensive blood loss and low iron content food, vitamin deficiency and even medicinal side effects. In India more than 2 billion dollars are lost per year due to loss of man- hours and productivity caused by anemia. Anemia in pregnancy is a major cause of maternal death.   There are about 1 lac maternal deaths (mothers dying during pregnancy and childbirth) per year   and 40 % of deaths are due to these complications.  Anemia leads to poor scholastic performance and is the most important cause of drop-outs in school children. Anemia causes loss of energy and leads to chronic tiredness, irritability and decreased capacity to work. Anemic mothers produce anemic babies with low birth weight and IQ deficit of 5 - 10 points.

  Hence, Lions and IMA have decided to jointly take up the project "Anemia Free India" in the whole country, with the goal of decreasing the prevalence and incidence of anemia in India by 50% by 2010, for restoring the Hb levels. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with the faculty of Family welfare department of KMC, Manipal will be helping the lions international and the IMA for this project.

Lion Vincent Pinto, district cabinet secretary proposed the vote of thanks.