Newborns of India at risk: Is Govt of India's Anemia Mukt Bharat campaign being implemented on the ground?

By Harasankar Adhikari

Anemia is a serious global public health issue, particularly among children under the age of five. India is no exception. It poses a significant challenge for this age group, with the prevalence being the highest globally (67.20%). Among the total anemic children, 2.2%, 36.30%, and 28.70% are classified as severely, moderately, and mildly anemic, respectively.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, conducted by the International Institute of Population Studies from 2019 to 2021 across all 28 states and 8 union territories in India, anemia is a pervasive issue. The survey revealed that Ladakh in the northern region has the highest rates (91%–100%), while Chhattisgarh in the central region reports the highest incidence (87%) among the 9–11 months age group. In the eastern region, Bihar has the highest prevalence (71.7%), whereas Odisha has the lowest (66%). In the southern region, Telangana reports the highest prevalence (71%) and Kerala the lowest (38.4%). In the western region, anemia prevalence ranges from 64% to 86%, with the highest rates among the 12–23 months age group, notably in Gujarat (87.5%) and Maharashtra (85.8%). This is concerning given the higher socioeconomic status of these states.

The report identifies socioeconomic factors, child health, and maternal health status as key determinants of anemia in children. About 67.9% of children in rural areas are anemic, compared to 64.1% in urban areas. Maternal education also plays a protective role: 72.2% of children whose mothers have no education are anemic, compared to 61.7% of children whose mothers have higher education levels. The religion of a child’s family is another significant factor, with anemia affecting 48.7% of Christian children, 68.7% of Muslim children, and 69% of Hindu children.

Maternal health status significantly influences anemia prevalence among children. Children of mothers with a normal body mass index (BMI) are at a lower risk compared to those of underweight or overweight mothers. Anemic mothers have a much higher likelihood of having anemic children (72.6%) compared to non-anemic mothers (59.3%). The survey also highlights that anemia affects 75.80% of infants aged 6–8 months and increases to 78.80% among those aged 12–23 months. Alarmingly, the NFHS-5 shows an 8.5% increase in infant anemia compared to NFHS-4.

Addressing child anemia requires improving household socioeconomic status, reducing maternal poverty, and increasing maternal education. A lack of awareness regarding neonatal nutrition and limited maternal education are critical contributors to anemia prevalence.

The Government of India has initiated the Anemia Mukt Bharat (Anemia-Free India) campaign. It is essential to evaluate how effectively these programs are being implemented on the ground.

Comments

Sainath Deshmukh said…

This article really opened my eyes to the challenges newborns in India face. It’s alarming to see how many are at risk, but it’s important to be aware of these issues.

December 16, 2024

Kavita Podar said…

Absolutely, a crucial issue! Affordable options like cheap health insurance are vital to support families in safeguarding their newborns’ health amidst such challenges.

July 08, 2025

The golden crop: How turmeric is transforming women's lives in tribal India

By Vikas Meshram* When the lush green fields of turmeric sway in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, it is not merely a spice crop — it is the golden glow of self-reliance. In villages where even basic spices once had to be bought from the market, the very soil today is yielding a prosperity that has transformed the lives of thousands of families. At the heart of this transformation is the initiative of Vaagdhara, which has linked turmeric with livelihoods, nutrition, and village self-governance — gram swaraj.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Authoritarian destruction of the public sphere in Ecuador: Trumpism in action?

By Pilar Troya Fernández The situation in Ecuador under Daniel Noboa's government is one of authoritarianism advancing on several fronts simultaneously to consolidate neoliberalism and total submission to the US international agenda. These are not isolated measures, but rather a coordinated strategy that combines job insecurity, the dismantling of the welfare state, unrestricted access to mining, the continuation of oil exploitation without environmental considerations, the centralization of power through the financial suffocation of local governments, and the systematic criminalization of all forms of opposition and popular organization.

Echoes of Vietnam and Chile: The devastating cost of the I-A Axis in Iran

By Ram Puniyani The recent joint military actions by Israel and the United States against Iran have been devastating. Like all wars, this conflict is brutal to its core, leaving a trail of human suffering in its wake. The stated pretext for this aggression—the brutality of the Ayatollah Khamenei regime and its nuclear ambitions—clashes sharply with the reality of the diplomatic landscape. Iran had expressed a willingness to remain at the negotiating table, signaling a readiness to concede points emerging from dialogue.

False claim? What Venezuela is witnessing is not surrender but a tactical retreat

By Manolo De Los Santos The early morning hours of January 3, 2026, marked an inflection point in Venezuela and Latin America’s centuries-long struggle for self-determination and independence. Operation Absolute Resolve, ordered by the Trump administration, constituted the most brutal and direct military assault on a sovereign state in the region in recent memory. In a shocking operation that left hundreds dead, President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were illegally kidnapped from Venezuelan soil and transported to the United States, where they now face fabricated charges in a New York federal detention facility. In the two months since this act of war, a torrent of speculation has emerged from so-called experts and pundits across the political spectrum. This has followed three main lines: One . The operation’s success indicated treason at the highest levels of the Bolivarian Revolution. Two . Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and the remaining leadership have abandone...

The selective memory of a violent city: Uttam Nagar and the invisible victims of Delhi

By Sunil Kumar* Hundreds of murders take place in Delhi every year, yet only a few incidents become topics of nationwide discussion. The question is: why does this happen? Today, the incident in Uttam Nagar has become the centre of national debate. A 26-year-old man, Tarun Kumar, was killed following a dispute that reportedly began after a balloon hit a small child. In several colonies of Delhi, slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” are being raised while demanding the death penalty for Tarun’s killers. As a result, nearly 50,000 residents of Hastsal JJ Colony are now living in what resembles a state of confinement.

The price of silence: Why Modi won’t follow Shastri, appeal for sacrifice

By Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey* In 1965, as India grappled with war and a crippling food crisis, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri faced a United States that used wheat shipments under the PL-480 agreement as a lever to dictate Indian foreign policy. Shastri’s response remains legendary: he appealed to the nation to skip one meal a day. Millions of middle-class households complied, choosing temporary hunger over the sacrifice of national dignity. Today, India faces a modern equivalent in the energy sector, yet the leadership’s response stands in stark contrast to that era of self-reliance.

Love letters in a lifelong war: Babusha Kohli’s resistance in verse

By Ravi Ranjan* “War does not determine who is right—only who is left.” Bertrand Russell’s words echo hauntingly in our times, and few contemporary Hindi poets embody this truth as profoundly as Babusha Kohli. Emerging from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kohli has carved a unique space in literature by weaving together tenderness, protest, and philosophy across poetry, prose, and cinema. Her work is not merely artistic expression—it is resistance, refuge, and a call for peace.

Search This Blog