Abstract :
Introduction: Almost 56% of adolescent girls and 30% of adolescent boys are anemic
in India. Government of India has launched the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid
Supplementation (WIFS) Program to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency
anemia among adolescent boys and girls. Objective of this study is to find out the
difference in the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls consuming IFA
through WIFS and not consuming IFA.
Materials and Methods: This was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted at
G.V.H.S.S, Meppayur, Kozhicode. Study subjects were 130 students of age group 11–
16 years. Students were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire.
Anthropometry was done and blood samples were collected with the help of lab
technician and staff nurse of the nearby PHC. Blood samples were collected in
pipettes and the measured volume was transferred to Wattman filter paper 41. The
paper was dried and transported to the biochemistry laboratory of Dr SMCSI
Medical College, Karakonam, Thiruvananthapuram, to estimate the hemoglobin
concentration.
Keyword :
WIFS, Anemia, School adolescents.