Anaemia in India is a multi-causal public health challenge. Discuss how a convergent, life-cycle approach under Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan can accelerate India's progress toward the WHO Global Nutrition Targets.

Q. Anaemia in India is a multi-causal public health challenge. Discuss how a convergent, life-cycle approach under Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan can accelerate India's progress toward the WHO Global Nutrition Targets. (15 marks, 250 words)

The WHO Global Nutrition Targets seek a 50% reduction in anaemia among women of reproductive age. India's NFHS-5 burden — 57% of women and 67.1% of children — reflects anaemia's multi-causal roots, demanding a convergent, life-cycle response now institutionalised under Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (2026). [S3][S1]

Anaemia's multi-causal nature - Nutritional: iron-folate deficiency, poor dietary diversity. - Non-nutritional: sickle cell, thalassaemia and malaria in endemic pockets. [S3] - Underlying determinants: poor sanitation, worm infestation, low female literacy and early pregnancy — beyond the reach of supplementation alone.

Convergence as accelerator - Inter-ministerial action: MoHFW with WCD (ICDS), Education (WIFS in schools), FSSAI (mandatory IFA fortification of PDS/MDM staples) and Tribal Affairs. [S3][S4] - Federal convergence: guidelines released through the apex Centre-State CCHFW, aligning States on delivery. [S1] - Digital convergence: JANANI, RBSK and U-WIN portals unified into one AMB portal; the T4 approach (Test-Treat-Talk-Track) enables individual follow-up. [S1]

Life-cycle coverage - The 7×7×7 strategy spans seven groups — from low-birth-weight infants to reproductive-age women — breaking the intergenerational cycle. [S1] - Point-of-care digital haemoglobinometer testing plus a shift from preventive to therapeutic care targets severity, not blanket dosing. [S3] - Jan Bhagidari drives behaviour and dietary change.

By attacking every causal layer across the lifespan, AMB Abhiyaan converts scattered schemes into measurable outcomes, advancing WHO targets and SDG-2 and SDG-3 toward an anaemia-free India.

(~250 words)

Sources: 1. Steps taken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, PIB — 6×6×6 strategy, NFHS-5 prevalence, non-nutritional causes, fortification, testing [S3] 2. Union Health Minister Releases Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Operational Guidelines, 16th CCHFW Meeting, PIB — 7×7×7 strategy, T4 approach, CCHFW, digital portal convergence, Jan Bhagidari [S1] 3. Anaemia Mukt Bharat, National Health Mission — NHM framework, inter-programme convergence [S4]