To counter the effect of anaemia in the State, approximately seven lakh students from 6th to 12th standard of all government schools would be covered under Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Programme (WIFS) to be launched by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh from Ridge, Shimla on 8th March, 2013.
Principal Secretary, Health, Ali Raza Rizvi disclosed here today that this programme would be started in Bilaspur district and Paddar block of Mandi district during this month. In remaining districts, it will be implemented from April, 2013 except for the tribal districts where it would be started in May, 2013.
He said that the services of as many as 50,000 teachers and helpers of all the Government schools in rural and urban areas of the State would be involved for successful implementation of the Programme.
Rizvi said that anaemia was a major health concern in Himachal Pradesh especially among women and children. As per surveys, almost 40-41 percent children were suffering from some grade of anaemia, though only 2.2 percent were severely anaemic. He said that State Government was according foremost attention to provide best health care to the citizens and tackling the anaemia.
