Ladakh Records Highest Anemia Rate in India, Jammu and Kashmir Among Worst-Affected

SRINAGAR: The government has said that Ladakh has recorded the highest prevalence of anemia among women aged 15 to 49 years in India, with a rate of 92.8 per cent, while Jammu and Kashmir has reported a prevalence of 65.9 per cent.

According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel, the findings are based on the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021. The data shows that Jammu and Kashmir ranks among the worst-affected regions in the country, with its prevalence rate matching that of Assam and exceeding the national average.

The government has said that it is implementing the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy to reduce anemia among women, children, and adolescents. The initiative includes iron and folic acid supplementation, deworming, promotion of iron-rich diets, use of digital haemoglobinometers for screening, and treatment of anemia. The government has also stated that approximately 50 per cent of anemia cases are linked to iron deficiency, while other factors include vitamin deficiencies, infections, and genetic disorders affecting haemoglobin production.

The government has acknowledged that anemia remains a significant public health challenge and has said that it is addressing non-nutritional causes through institutional mechanisms while continuing efforts to meet its reduction targets.

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