Naveen Patnaik Launches AMLAN To Make Odisha Free From Anaemia: What You Need To Know About It

Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan (AMLAN) will be rolled out in 55,000 govt and govt-aided schools and 74,000 Anganwadi Centres across Odisha.

The Indian state of Odisha is determined to eradicate anaemia from the state, and it is adopting a multi-pronged approach to fight this serious global public health problem. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan (AMLAN) with an aim to make the state free from anaemia.

Patnaik, who launched the programme on a virtual platform, pointed out some of the major interventions to be taken up under this new initiative. These include strengthening iron and folic acid supplementation, testing for haemoglobin, treatment of anaemic patients, capacity building of service providers and social behaviour change communication.

AMLAN will benefit about 1.37 crore people, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, women of reproductive age group, adolescents and children.

The target is to roll out the programme in 55,000 government and government-aided schools and 74,000 Anganwadi Centres across the state. It will be implemented with the help of various departments including Health & Family Welfare, School & Mass Education, Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti and ST & SC Development, the CM added.

The CM also released the operational guidelines for AMLAN.

Understand anaemia, it causes and symptoms

Anaemia is a blood disorder that occurs when the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration is below the required level. Haemoglobin carries oxygen to your body's tissues. Lack of this protein inside the red blood cells can cause fatigue, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath, among other symptoms.

One may suffer from anaemia due to nutritional deficiencies, especially iron, haemoglobinopathies (a group of inherited blood disorders characterised by abnormalities in Haemoglobin synthesis), and infectious diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and parasitic infections.

Anaemia is most common among young children and pregnant women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 42 per cent of children below 5 years and 40 per cent of pregnant women worldwide are estimated to be anaemic.

Anaemia is also a major public health challenge in India. The National Family Heath Survey-5 (NFHS-5) revealed an increase in anaemia cases in the country, across age group and gender. In children between the ages of 6 and 59 months, anaemia cases went up to 67.1 per cent in 2020-21 from 58.6 per cent reported in 2015-16 while in pregnant women, the prevalence increased to 52.2 per cent from 50.4 per cent.