Iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets, which form the backbone of the anaemia-control programme, have been in short supply for more than six months now in the State. The irony is that what has hit this important programme is confusion over colour of the tablets.
It all began with officials wanting to bring uniformity to the colour of the IFA tablets supplied at health centres for mothers (pink in colour) and in schools for children under the Weekly IFA Supplementation programme (blue). This led to confusion in the tendering process, resulting in the programme going out of gear.
The Health Department wanted the tablets supplied to mothers also to be blue, for reasons of uniformity, which created confusion in the bidding process. The tendering process has to re-start before this problem can be set right.
The Health Department provides prophylactic and therapeutic IFA tablets to pregnant women from the second trimester under the National Rural Health Mission. Those who are moderately anaemic are given double the dose, while those who are severely anaemic are given iron sucrose injection.
There are 2,353 primary health centres (PHCs) in the State and each PHC caters to nearly 1,000 women. Each PHC requires nearly a lakh tablets a year, according to an estimate by medical officials in charge of PHCs.
The Karnataka State Drug Logistics and Warehouse Society (KSDLWS), responsible for procurement and distribution of drugs in the State, has a stock of 4.29 lakh tablets today. Minister for Health U.T. Khader, who “thanked” The Hindu for bringing the issue to his notice, said he had directed the officials to redress the issue on a priority.
Members of Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali (KJC) wrote to the Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) N. Sivasailam on July 24 highlighting the IFA shortage.
Akhila Vasan from the KJC, who along with other members studied the IFA shortage in various districts, cited the example of the severe shortage in the Drug Warehouse of Raichur and Tumkur districts. In the worst case, Pavagada taluk had no supply for the past three months.
Anaemia is a life-threatening condition among under-nourished, pregnant and lactating women.
There are several studies that indicate a close correlation between anaemia and abortion, premature births, post-partum haemorrhage, low birth weight and maternal deaths.
