PRESS RELEASE
Chennai, India today has the necessary medical infrastructure, manpower, and technology to eradicate anaemia in pregnancy within a decade, said Dr.Prema Ramachandran, President, National Academy of Medical Sciences in India and Director, Nutrition Foundation of India, New Delhi. Pointing out that prevalence of anaemia is very high in all groups of the population, she said maternal mortality rate due to anaemia in pregnancy is also very high in India. But this serious challenge can be met if a concerted all-round effort is made under the National Rural Health Mission and its urban counterpart now underway during the current plan period. Dr.Prema Ramachandran was delivering the the First Vice Chancellor Dr.Lalitha Kameswaran Felicitation Committee Endowment Oration at Sri Ramachandra University here today. Stating that anaemia begins in childhood, worsens during adolescence in girls and gets aggravated during preganancy Dr.Prema said surprisingly its prevalence is high even in high income and educated pregnant women. Anaemia directly causes 20 percent maternal deaths and indirectly accounts for another 20 percent of deaths and these figures have remained unchanged for a few decades, she added. Pointing out that anaemia affects both the mother and the child, Dr.Prema said maternal anaemia is associated with poor intrauterine growth and increased risk of preterm births resulting in increase in low birth weight rates. This in turn results in higher perinatal morbidity and mortality, higher infant mortality rate and poor growth in infancy, childhood and adolescence. Describing India’s strategy to combat this menace, she said that health and nutrition education to improve overall dietary intakes, promoting consumption of folate rich foodstulTh and introduction of iron and iodine fortified salt is possible through the National Rural Health Mission, she added. Earlier in his welcome address Prof S.Rangaswami, Vice Chancellor of SRU said Dr.Lalitha Kameswaran was a great teacher and the lecture being held on teachers’ day during the nutrition week was most apt. Mr.V.R.Venkataachalam, Chancellor of SRU honoured the chief guest. Prof.K.V,Somasundaram, Dean of Faculties, Dr.S.Anandan, Dean Medical Collegc of SRU, Dr.A.N.Chandrashekaran, Chairman Felicitation Committee, and Dr.S.Kameswaran distinguished ENT Surgeon participated in the function. .……………………………….. T.G. Nailamuthu, Consultant, Media Relations, SRU 9444265578, naIlarnuthu@hotmail.com |
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