NTR District Collector S Dilli Rao has directed the officials to conduct experimental distribution of palm jaggery to school girls along with iron folic acid tablets which are currently being provided to prevent anaemia in adolescent girls as a pilot project at Kasturba Girls High Schools and Model Schools and Social welfare hostels in the district.
In this regard, District Collector Dilli Rao held a teleconference with education, medical health and social welfare officials on the prevention of anaemia in adolescent girls on Sunday, March 26 from his office, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Further, speaking on the occasion, the collector said, "Iron folic acid tablets are being distributed in schools and colleges through the Anemia Mukti Bharat scheme to prevent anaemia among adolescent girls. If palm jaggery is distributed in addition to tablets, it will be possible to prevent anaemia more quickly as regular jaggery is made with a mixture of hydrogen sulphur, it can have a bad effect on the health of girls. Palm jaggery is rich in iron and folic acid, so it is useful in preventing anaemia," he opined.
Additionally, he said that if palm jaggery is distributed experimentally and after observing the results, measures will be taken to distribute it to all the schools in the district with the cooperation of voluntary organisations and also, officials will be instructed to prepare the necessary plan for this.
Anaemia diagnosis
In girls, anaemia can be diagnosed in three stages: mild, moderate and severe. As per the level of anaemia, there is a need to distribute adequate dosage of tablets. To implement the same effectively, provide a facility for the principals of the schools to send an indent to the medical and health department directly to collect the iron tablets, said the collector.
Dilli Rao also instructed them to take measures to maintain a separate register for the anaemic status of girls. He also instructed the teachers to take responsibility for the distribution of tablets and, MPDOs, DROs, and Joint Collectors to make a continuous inspection of the distribution programme.
District social welfare officer BV Vijaya Bharti, District Medical Health Officer Dr M Suhasini, DEO, CV Renuka, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Project Officer Maheshwar, DHO Balaji, ICDS PD, G Umadevi and others attended the teleconference.
