Project AMMA launched to combat maternal anemia in Uttar Pradesh under Anemia Mukt Bharat Initiative

In line with the vision of “Healthy Women,  Empowered Women, Empowered Nation,” the ambitious Anemia Mukt Bharat initiative,  championed by the Prime Minister, was launched in collaboration with the Kanpur  Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (KOGS) and Vitamin Angels India (VA India). This  innovative project, named Project AMMA (Anemia-Mukt Mothers and Adolescent Girls), aims  to reduce the prevalence of maternal anemia through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, leveraging  the strengths of district health system, community involvement, and strategic partnerships. Other partners of the project include Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj (CSJM) University, Kanpur,  and EzeRx Health Tech. 

Project AMMA seeks to address the complex challenge of maternal anemia, which affects a  significant portion of pregnant women and adolescent girls in Uttar Pradesh, by ensuring the  availability of iron folic acid supplies, generating awareness about anemia in the community,  and creating an enabling environment for health improvements. The project will be piloted in selected villages in the Shivrajpur and Chaubepur blocks and identified slums in Kanpur,  focussing on community-level interventions to combat anemia with the aim to create a  replicable model for anemia reduction that can be scaled across Uttar Pradesh and beyond. 

Speaking about the potential of the project, Dr Meera Agnihotri, President  of Women Health and Wellness Foundation, Chairman of Ethics Committee at State Medical  College, Kanpur, and Chief Patron of Kanpur Obstetric and Gynaecological Society, stated,  “While the National Family Health Survey-5, sponsored by the Government of India and  conducted nationwide during 2019-21, showed improvements in health indicators, nutrition  indicators remained a concern. Women and child nutrition in India have been in a worrisome state for some time. To improve this situation, our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,  has taken crucial and concrete steps to address these concerns. The National Nutrition Mission  and the ambitious Anemia Mukt Bharat scheme were launched to address the pressing issue  of anemia. Alongside this scheme, the POSHAN Abhiyan has launched a massive initiative to connect every household in the country with nutrition information and proper nutrition.” 

The project aligns with Anemia Mukt Bharat’s 6x6x6 strategy, focusing on six key beneficiaries, six interventions, and six institutional mechanisms. With the aim to improve awareness on  the need for IFA consumption among mothers and adolescent girls, Project AMMA will run  intensified behavior change communication campaigns and build capacity of frontline  workers.

“ The anemia-related indicators in Kanpur, mirror the concerning state  and national level trends, with 73 per cent of children under five, 63 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15-19,  

58 per cent of women, and 45 per cent of pregnant women affected by anemia. While strengthening the government’s anemia and nutrition schemes at the community level, collective societal efforts  are required.” KOGS President Dr Kalpana Dixit commented during the launch of the project. 

“Through Project AMMA, we aim to strengthen the existing  health systems and ensure that pregnant women and adolescent girls receive the care and support they need to lead healthy lives. This project is a model of how collaboration and  innovation can address complex public health challenges,” stated Dr Ashutosh Mishra, Senior  Regional Technical Director, Asia and Director of Programs, Vitamin Angels in India.