UPSC Prelims 2023 Question:

Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat:

1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
   
   

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Learn more about the interventions taken under Anemia Mukt Bharat Scheme in the given explanation below.

Explanation:

• The Anaemia Mukt Bharat- intensified Iron-plus Initiative aims to strengthen the existing mechanisms and foster newer strategies for tackling anemia. It focuses on six target beneficiary groups, through six interventions and six institutional mechanisms to achieve the envisaged target under the POSHAN Abhiyan.
  
  

Interventions taken under Anemia Mukt Bharat

• A key intervention is to give Prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to children, adolescents and women of reproductive age and pregnant women irrespective of anemia, under Anaemia Mukt Bharat. So, statement 1 is not correct.
• The various behaviour change communication activities of the strategy will address four key behaviours, one of which is promoting practice of delayed cord clamping (by atleast 3 minutes or until cord pulsations cease) in all health facility deliveries followed by early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth. So, statement 2 is correct.
• Bi-annual mass deworming for children in the age groups between 1-19 years is carried out on designated dates – 10th February and 10th August every year under National Deworming Day (NDD) programme. The Anaemia Mukt Bharat, also integrates deworming of women of reproductive age and for pregnant women as part of the NDD strategy. So, statement 3 is correct.
• The strategy attempts to intensify awareness and integrate screening and treatment for following non-nutritional causes of anaemia with special focus on malaria, haemoglobinopathies and fluorosis. So, statement 4 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (3) is the correct answer.

Subject: Polity | Government Schemes and Policies(pol)