NEW DELHI: More than two-thirds of women and children in Jammu and Kashmir are anaemic, according to the latest available data, prompting fresh efforts by the Government of India to tackle what has been described as a public health emergency in the Union Territory.
The figures, sourced from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), were shared in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel. The data shows that 65.9 per cent of women aged 15–49 and 72.7 per cent of children aged 6–59 months in Jammu and Kashmir are suffering from anaemia. In neighbouring Ladakh, the situation is even more severe, with over 92 per cent of both women and children affected.
To manage the crisis, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is currently conducting a nationwide Diet and Biomarker Survey of India (DABS-I), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This comprehensive biomarker-based survey, covering more than two lakh individuals across states and Union Territories, will include haemoglobin testing across multiple demographic groups — including children, adolescents, women (including pregnant and lactating), and the elderly — to offer updated insights into anaemia prevalence.
Meanwhile, the Government continues to implement the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) programme, aimed at reducing the burden of anaemia across six targeted groups through a “6x6x6 strategy”. This includes prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation — with specific formulations for children, adolescents, women of reproductive age, and pregnant and lactating mothers — routine deworming, intensified awareness campaigns, digital testing, fortified foods in public welfare schemes, and treatment of related conditions such as malaria and haemoglobinopathies.
Officials say the programme has seen scaled-up implementation in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly through outreach in schools, anganwadi centres and primary health facilities. However, ground-level challenges remain, including dietary gaps, lack of awareness, and limited point-of-care diagnostics in remote regions.
Public health experts say that for Jammu and Kashmir to reverse these worrying trends, consistent monitoring, decentralised nutrition services, and greater involvement of local communities are essential — especially as anaemia not only weakens immunity but also stunts physical and cognitive development in children and poses risks during pregnancy.
The results of the DABS-I survey, once released, are expected to inform policy recalibration and resource allocation across high-burden regions like J&K.
