Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11 while interacting with Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), ANM and Anganwadi workers via NaMo app called for anemia-free India and stressed on the need to accelerate the pace of reduction in anemia cases by three times every year, instead of current 1 per cent.
PM further said “Anemia is a very big problem. A lot of people in the country are victims of anemia. This disease is caused by lack of elements like iodine and iron. Although the use of iodised salt has increased in the last few years, the cases of anemia are decreasing by just 1 per cent every year. The government has decided that this pace should be tripled under the National Nutrition Mission.”
PM while motivating the ASHA, ANM and Anganwadi workers via NaMo app said, “All of you are going to complete this resolution of anemia-free India with all your might. Making India free of anemia means giving life to lakhs of pregnant women and children.”
The Prime Minister said that the central government is already focusing on aspects relating to nutrition and quality healthcare to fight the menace of anemia in the country. PM added that “Vaccination efforts are on at a quick pace. This helps women and children in particular.”
One of the other steps taken by government in this regard is, “Initially, an ASHA worker used to visit a baby six times in 42 days after his/her birth, now we have increased that time to 15 months. ASHA worker will visit the baby for 11 times in these 15 months,” PM added.
