Widespread Iron deficiency anaemia is a matter of concern to all health professionals and development activists of India. At present, as per Government’s figures (source- Guidelines for control of Iron Deficiency anaemia, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare-2013) prevalence rate of anaemia in Indian population is 74.3 per cent and 58 per cent of our pregnant women and 69 per cent of our adolescent girls of 12-17 age groups are anaemic. Above 80 percent children of less than 3 years of age are anaemic in India.

Iron deficiency anaemia results in impaired cognitive and motor development in children and decreased work capacity in adults. Anaemia reduces work output of adults and destroys the economy of the country. As per the WHO/ World Bank we lose over 1.18 per cent of our GDP annually only due to Iron Deficiency anaemia which strikes the entire population, more particularly the life cycle of our women groups from all possible corners. It adversely affects both their productive and reproductive capabilities, increases maternal death rate by 20 per cent, increases stillbirths, premature deliveries, incidents of low birth weights of babies. This cycle has been continuing from generation to generation in our country.

In this project, we have tried to wipe out anaemia from two villages of Purba Medinipur namely Puada and Basudebpur through a low-cost intervention program.

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