KCR Nutrition Kits: Telangana government to start scheme to fight anaemia

Anaemia cases amongst women and children in the state are high as most women in these rural districts are not consuming sufficient iron through their foods.

In the state, 57.6 percent of the women are anaemic, according to National Family and Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) data.

Also, 53.2 percent of pregnant women are anaemic in the state, up by 5 percent since the last survey.

Even 70 percent of the kids in Telangana are anaemic, up by 10 percent since the last survey.

Anaemia in districts

The health minister said the nine districts were selected by a team of women officers belonging to the all-India service that studied anaemia problems among pregnant women.

“It was found that the children born in poor families here had a stunted growth,” said Rao.

In Adilabad, 61.1 percent of non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years are anaemic, while 76.3 percent children in the age group 6-59 months are anaemic.

That number is 69.3 percent and 69 percent, respectively, in Bhadradri Kothagudem.

In Jogulamba Gadwal, 64.1 percent of non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years are anaemic, while 82.4 percent of children in the age group 6-59 months are anaemic.

in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, those numbers are 66.4 percent and 69.9 percent, respectively.

Similarly, they are 59.5 percent and 71.6 percent in Bhadradri Kothagudem, 67.3 percent and 70.7 percent in Asifabad, 53.5 percent and 75.1 percent in Nagarkurnool, 61.3 percent and 70 percent in Vikarabad, and 61.1 percent and 76.3 percent in Adilabad, respectively.

“Anaemia is mostly caused by deficiency of iron in the body. Anaemia makes a person tired and short of breath. Women lose blood during menstruation. They, in general, are at a greater risk of iron-deficiency anaemia. Iron deficiency can also lead to an acceleration in digestive issues,” said Dr R Kavya Nutritionist from Hyderabad.

KCR Nutrition Kit details

Meanwhile, Rao told reporters: “The nutritional kits will be loaded with proteins, minerals, and vitamins, which will go a long way in reducing anaemia and improving the percentage of haemoglobin among pregnant women in the nine districts.”

Each kit would cost about ₹ 2,000, he said. The kit would contain 2 kg of nutritional mix powder, two bottles, 1 kg of dates, three bottles of iron syrup, and 500 grams of ghee.

The kits would be supplied in the third and sixth months of pregnancy, when the women visit government hospitals for ante-natal checkups.

The Health Minister said that a total of 1.5 lakh pregnant women will directly benefit from the special KCR Nutritional Kits in these districts.