Himachal launches programme to make school kids anaemia-free

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Friday launched a programme to make school children free from anaemia, an official said here.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh launched the Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Programme here, Principal Secretary (Health) Ali Raza Rizvi told IANS. He said 700,000 students from class VI to XII in all government schools would be administered Iron and Folic Acid Supplement doses to overcome anaemia.

He said the programme would be started in Bilaspur district and Paddar block of Mandi district this month. In the remaining districts, it will be implemented from April, except for the snow-bound tribal districts where it would be started in May.

Rizvi said the services of 50,000 teachers and helpers of all the government schools would be involved for the implementation of the programme.

Anaemia is a major health concern in the state, especially among women and children.

As per surveys, he said, almost 40 to 41 per cent children are suffering from some grade of anaemia, though only 2.2 per cent are severely anaemic.

IANS