Haryana tops Anemia Mukt Bharat Index among 29 states

Haryana has been ranked at the top in the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) Index among the 29 states in India. The news was shared during the State Health Society of the National Health Mission’s 8th Governing Body Meeting in Chandigarh.

Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary of Health Department informed that Haryana has been ranked at a top slot with an AMB index of 46.7, in a recently released scorecard by the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare. He added that there is a total of 34 National Programmes that are being run under the National Health Mission (NHM).

भारत से एनीमिया की व्यापकता को कम करने के उद्देश्य से केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य एवं परिवार कल्याण मंत्रालय और यूनिसेफ की पहल पर शुरू किए गए 'एनीमिया मुक्त भारत' कार्यक्रम के तहत हरियाणा ने 46.7 अंक के साथ देश के 29 राज्यों की सूची में 'पहला स्थान' प्राप्त किया है।

— CMO Haryana (@cmohry) October 20, 2020

Key Highlights:

• In April 2018, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the ‘ATAL- Assuring Total Anemia Limit- Abhiyaan’ in order to reduce anemia by implementing 6 x 6 x 6 strategies on the lines of Anemia Mukt Bharat.

• In 2019-20, it was for the first time that Haryana had achieved 93% of immunization as the state health department had been providing immunization against 12 Vaccine-preventable diseases.

• These vaccines also play a major role in the consistent decline in the Under 5 Mortality Rate and Infant Mortality Rate.

• Haryana has also now become one of the 11 states in India that have achieved the targets of National Health Policy before the set timeline.

Encouraging Social Health Activists- ASHA workers:

While acknowledging the significant role of ASHA workers in making various health programs successful, the Director of National Health Mission talked about the plan of starting a performance-based incentive for the ASHA workers. These incentives will include giving smartphones will sim and mobile data along with the dress allowance.

The National Health Mission has also been planning on providing social security benefits to Asha workers under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana.

About Anemia Mukht Bharat Index:

Anemia Mukt Bharat is an initiative of UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which has been launched to reduce the prevalence of anemia all over the country. Anemia is caused due to iron deficiency which impacts the capacity of an individual’s blood cells to carry oxygen.

The scheme aims at providing bi-weekly iron Folic acid supplementation to the children under age five through Asha workers. It also provided biannual deworming for adolescents and children.