Strategies for achieving better health status for women and children by targeting anemia deficiency in Himachal Pradesh

The prevalence of anaemia in India is among the highest in the world. Anaemia reduces physical capacity, productivity and negatively impacts quality of life. It is also the single largest cause of maternal mortality in India, another health index India does not fare too well on. Anaemia interventions have long been an integral part of public health management. However, the results yielded by anemia targeting programs are less than satisfactory, reflecting room for improvement in order to meaningfully alleviate or eliminate the disease burden. This paper outlines current anemia management strategies in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and infuses the discussion with best practices in order to improve efficiency of the program. The immense burden of the disease borne by some districts of Himachal make it imperative for policymakers to look at the health interventions being employed currently and overhaul the system.