In order to make Punjab anemia-free state, the Health and Family Welfare department on 18th September launched the campaign with the slogan of ‘T3- Test, Treat and Talk’ from Mohali.

The campaign focuses on the pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls who will be provided with free Haemoglobin testing and quality treatment services at the government health institutes across the state. To mark the commencement of the mission, special hemoglobin testing camps were conducted today at the government hospitals across the state where a large number of women and adolescent girls took the advantage. The campaign will run for 45 days from today onwards.

Speaking at the event, Punjab Health and Family Welfare department Director Dr Avneet Kaur announced the start of the prestigious mission which aims to bring down the anemia cases in the state. Dr Avneet said there are many causes of anemia, out of which iron deficiency accounts for about 50 per cent of anemia in school children and among women of reproductive age-group, and 80 per cent in children 2–5 years of age. Other nutritional deficiencies besides iron, such as vitamin B12, foliate and vitamin A, can cause anemia.

She said that infectious diseases particularly malaria, helminthes infections, tuberculosis and hemoglobinopathies are other important contributory causes to the high prevalence of anemia. Stressing upon the need of nutritional food to fight anemia, she said that leafy greens, iron-rich food, nuts and seeds, eggs and fish can help to get rid of the disease. Appealing to the people to avail the services at the special camps and make the campaign a success, the director said it is the responsibility of all the stakeholders especially the health workers to make Punjab anemia as well as malnutrition free in the near future.

She said the state health department on its part, will make strenuous efforts to achieve the target and create a healthy Punjab.