Ahmedabad: At least 6-8 crore adolescent girls in India are anaemic due to iron deficiency, according to leading gynaecologists from Ahmedabad, who also opined that eradicating anaemia is possible in a few years through greater awareness and targeted initiatives.

“In India, anaemia is one of the important causes of maternal mortality. When a pregnant woman is anaemic, complications related to pregnancy are aggravated. Twenty to thirty per cent of maternal mortality cases are linked to anaemia,” said Dr. Alpesh Gandhi, former president of Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI).

Dr. Gandhi was addressing Haem Up India, an initiative by Cadila Pharmaceuticals aimed at creating awareness about iron deficiency, the most common cause of anaemia, on the occasion of Iron Deficiency Day on November 26 at Sabarmati Riverfront.

He also said that while iron deficiency anaemia is a worldwide problem, its magnitude is severe in India with more than 50% of women and adolescent girls being anaemic. “Six to eight crore adolescent girls in India are anaemic at any given point of time,” he said.

In her remarks, Dr. Darshana Thakkar attributed high iron deficiency levels to change in food habits. “The journey from bhakhri to pizza and sukhdi to cake has led to not just iron deficiency but also the deficiency of other nutrients,” she said, stressing a change in mindset can help in overcoming iron deficiency and anaemia.

According to a survey conducted by FOGSI last year, 92% of the doctors opined that anaemia due to iron deficiency can be eradicated in five years.

Professor Namrata Bajaj, In-charge Dean of School of Economics & Management at Indrashil University (IU), said, “The responsibility of educational institutes is not just limited to teaching, but creating awareness and contributing to a healthy India. Healthy women are a must for a healthy India, and we must all work together for various campaigns. I am confident that Cadila Pharmaceuticals and Indrashil University are going to make a big difference to the cause.”

As a part of this initiative, the CSR team of Cadila Pharma along with IU had conducted a screening camp of Anaemia along with Thalassemia and sickle cell Anaemia for women. Blood samples of 152 female students were collected and screened for thalassemia. The awareness program was carried out in partnership with Indian Red Cross Society to share more information on thalassemia and anaemia, their causes and how one can cope with them.

“Through our initiatives, we want to raise awareness amongst women especially young girls, as intervention is required at a young age. Cadila has been fighting Anaemia for more than 40 years and we are committed to finding better healthcare solutions and keep providing affordable medicines to all.”, Rajeev Saxena, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Cadila Pharmaceuticals.

Other leading gynaecologists such as Dr. Vandana Amin, Dr. Parul Patel, Dr. Nita Thakre, Dr. Kamini Patel, and Dr. Sarda Devi Madalapu also addressed the audience and shared their insights into iron deficiency and ways to overcome it. Several noted gynaecologists from across the country also shared short awareness messages, which were circulated via social media. All the expert participants signed a pledge to make India anaemia-free. The event concluded with a musical performance.

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Anemia is a critical health concern in India, affecting over 50% women. Usually hemoglobin less than 12 gm/dL is considered as anemia, and women, in particular, are at a higher risk for developing Anemia. Several reasons contribute to anemia: poor nutrition, worm infections, heavy and abnormal menstruation, and pregnancy where there is higher need for hemoglobin in the blood.

This is complicated by a considerable lack of awareness about anemia in India. There fore to address this issue at greater level, eminent Bollywood actress and author Twinkle Khanna inaugurated the Female Anemia Risk Indicator (FARI) on Iron Deficiency Day (26^th November 2020). FARI is a simple yet powerful online tool available on www.anemiafreeindia.com where women can answer a set of simple questions related to their dietary habits and lifestyle, and this tool will help them understand whether they could be at risk of developing anemia.

Female Anemia Risk Indicator has been intelligently designed keeping in mind the busy schedules of women and the need for an indicator that can be used anytime, anywhere. This tool will help women to know if they are at risk of anemia. They may need to visit a medical practitioner for further advice.

Twinkle Khanna, has also been actively involved in championing against anemia via the #more thanbara awareness campaign in collaboration with Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a leading Indian pharmaceutical company. By participating in the #morethanbara jingle, Twinkle’s efforts in raising awareness about the importance of maintaining a hemoglobin level more than 12gm/dL in women have led to significant attention on social media.

As Twinkle Khanna rightly summarized, “Anemia in women is a significant health concern. Hence, Female Anemia Risk Indicator available on www.anemiafreeindia.com is a much-needed tool that women can easily use to know whether they are at risk of developing anemia, and eventually take the right steps to correct it.”

Emcure also collaborated with the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) for raising awareness about anemia. FOGSI has played a pivotal role in making informative and easy-to-understand content available on www.anemiafreeindia.com and has also offered expert guidance from the medical perspective. FOGSI President, Dr.Alpesh Gandhi, informs, “FOGSI is committed to women’s health and bringing into fruition the vision of anemia-free India. We value the partnership with Emcure and jointly started the #morethanbara initiative and their newly launched website- www.anemiafreeindia.com. Various FOGSI members have been contributing their views on anemia and advice periodically on this website. ”

Explaining the vision behind these initiatives, Executive Director of Emcure, Namita Thapar, goes on to say, “As a woman, I dream of a country where women can be in the best of health. Easily curable diseases like anemia should not stop women from dreaming big and putting their best foot forward. I hope this website empowers our women with the information and tools needed to combat anemia.”

Women’s health has always taken a backseat because of the different roles they play and the biggest responsibility of becoming a mother that only they can shoulder. Now, it is imperative for them to empower themselves with the right knowledge and take the right actions. So women, what are you waiting for? Log on to https://www.anemiafreeindia.com/now, check whether you are at risk for developing anemia, and take prompt corrective actions as needed. Let’s work towards making India anemia free!

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