The Faridabad district administration engages multiple entities, including the community, to combat anaemia among students, successfully bringing down its prevalence. The move has resulted in alleviating the fatigue levels in the youngsters and improving their academic performance.
In every classroom, the teacher’s familiar greeting, “How are you, students?” was met with the usual chorus of “Yes, we’re fine.” But beneath the students’ response lurked a different story. There were students with throbbing heads, drained of energy and often experiencing insomnia.
But why were students struggling with physical ailments, despite their chirpy responses?
The answer surprised many. Anaemia, or iron deficiency, was silently sapping their strength. Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red cells or the haemoglobin is lower than normal. Anaemia is further classified into mild, moderate and severe, based on the haemoglobin level.
Anaemia may manifest as poor growth, recurrent infections, fatigue, increased sleepiness, lack of stamina, inability to concentrate, poor scholastic performance, poor neurocognitive and behavioural development, poor athletic performance, etc.
A simple solution that needed the extensive efforts of multiple entities is proving to be effective in combating anaemia among students in Haryana.
Also Read: Why are most women in Sundarbans anaemic?
As a Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate (CMGGA) placed in Faridabad, I had the privilege to witness and be a part of the transformative power of grassroots action. Empowered by the administration’s mission, I embarked on a journey to combat anaemia in Faridabad district.
The causes of anaemia are multiple. However, iron deficiency, primarily due to inadequate dietary iron intake, is considered the most common nutritional deficiency.
Due to menstrual blood loss and increased iron requirements during pregnancy, women are particularly susceptible to anaemia. Its consequences include fatigue, weakness, impaired cognitive function, decreased work capacity and compromised immunity.
In pregnant women, anaemia raises the risk of maternal and infant mortality, preterm birth and low birth weight in babies. It also has an intergenerational impact on anaemic girls having pregnancy-related complications like postpartum haemorrhage, eventually affecting the development of newborn babies, and the maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5, the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent boys and girls aged 15-19 years in India is 31 and 59 percent, respectively. The prevalence in Haryana is 30 percent in boys and 62 percent in girls.
Aware of this hidden epidemic, the Faridabad district administration stepped in with an initiative: Anaemia Mukt Faridabad. Launched in October 2023, it targeted one lakh government school students, aged 5-19, from classes I to XII. It was a collaborative work, a team effort with local health authorities and educational institutions.
Also Read: Tackling sickle cell anaemia in Jharkhand’s tribal communities
The team implemented a multi-stage programme aimed at tackling anaemia. The stages included planning, creating awareness, screening, treatment, retesting and final evaluation.
The district administration – as the nodal authority – made detailed micro plans, keeping in mind the available resources. Extensive training sessions equipped teachers, supervisors and anganwadi workers on what needed to be done and the correct usage of Hb meters. Standard operating procedures (SoPs) were also put in place.
The administration took a multi-pronged approach to create awareness. The team designed and distributed informative pamphlets about anaemia, its causes, symptoms and prevention.
We signed up sarpanches to organise gram sabhas and create awareness. We also worked with district administration officials, including the additional deputy commissioner, sub-divisional magistrate and medical officers, in addition to NGOs and anganwadi workers to create awareness, especially among parents.
The team members organised sessions with children during school assemblies to discuss anaemia. Health experts and teachers led discussions on the topic, encouraging students to participate actively.
In two months, one lakh government school students were screened. Of the one lakh students screened, 50 percent had normal iron levels. Of the 50 percent who were anaemic, 24 percent had mild, 23 percent had moderate and 2 percent had severe anaemia.
Also Read: Cooking in iron kadhais combats anemia in Jharkhand
Students with mild and moderate anaemia received iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets twice daily for two months – one in school after the mid-day meal and one at home after dinner. Anganwadi workers monitored the second dose of IFA being administered at home, sensitising parents again about anaemia and its consequences.
Over 250 severely anaemic students received personalised treatment at the district hospital, with the administration providing support for transportation.
After two months, retesting of 8,781 anaemic students showed a significant drop in the prevalence of anaemia.
Around 35 percent of these anaemic students – 3,128 to be exact – were no longer anaemic. Also, the cases of mild anaemia were reduced by 26 percent, moderate anaemia by 42 percent and severe anaemia by 45 percent.
Doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi, conducted a third-party evaluation in January 2024 to assess the impact of an intervention on the prevalence of anaemia among school children.
Testing a total of 1,009 students from different schools and classes showed that the intervention had increased the number of non-anaemic students by 20 percent.
Overall, 70 percent of the students were non-anaemic. The team also corroborated and validated the retesting done by our health team.
With each community reached and each life touched, as a CMGGA, I saw the tangible impact of our efforts.
Also Read: Weak and vulnerable pandemic babies
The CMGGA programme, supported by Ashoka University, is a unique youth-led good governance initiative advancing the social delivery outcomes of the Haryana government. The programme deploys young social development sector professionals – referred to as associates – across the districts to further the chief minister’s priority areas and support the state’s development goals.
The associates’ roles are not just about volunteering. The programme, with its unique design, functions as a catalyst for change, empowering youth to support the government’s mission and drive impact at scale.
While the Anaemia Mukt Faridabad campaign reduced anaemia in large numbers, it wasn’t just about statistics. It was about unlocking the potential hidden within each student.
With restored energy and focus, the students could finally shout a genuine “Yes!” when their teacher asked, “How are you?”
Soon, Phase 2 of Anaemia Mukt Faridabad will reach out to students in colleges and private schools too.
Also Read: Curbing malnutrition, one poshan vatika at a time
The lead image features district health teams screening government school students for anaemia, ensuring their well-being and academic success. (Photo by Aashish Jain)
Aashish Jain, a former teacher, is passionate about social innovation that can improve the lives of people and is committed to fostering positive change.
