Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Health, Diseases and Biotechnology)
Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Health, Diseases and Biotechnology)
Why In News:
Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda launched new operational guidelines for the Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (AMBA).
The programme transitions with a more comprehensive, people-centric, and technology-enabled approach. A key addition is the inclusion of Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies as the 7th beneficiary group.
Source: PIB Release, 28 June 2026; The Hindu, Page 12, 29 June 2026 - 'New Anaemia Mukt Bharat norms seek early action'
What is Anemia Mukt Bharat?
What is Anemia: A condition where hemoglobin (Hb) levels fall below WHO-defined thresholds - below 11 g/dL in children and pregnant women; below 12 g/dL in non-pregnant women - leading to fatigue, impaired cognition, and increased maternal and child mortality.
Launched: 2018, under the Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (I-NIPI), as part of the POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) framework.
Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Objective: Reduce anaemia among six beneficiaries age group - children (6-59 months), children (5-9 years), adolescents (10-19 years), pregnant and lactating women and in women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) in life cycle approach.
(https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/Nutrition/AMB-guidelines/Anemia-Mukt-Bharat-Operational-Guidelines-FINAL.pdf)
7x7x7 Strategy (New Framework)
7 Beneficiary Groups (expanded): (1) LBW babies aged 0-6 months (birth weight less than 2.5 kg-newly added as 7th group), (2) Children 6-59 months, (3) Children 5-9 years, (4) Adolescents 10-19 years, (5) Pregnant Women, (6) Lactating Women, (7) Women of Reproductive Age (15-49 years).
7 Interventions: Test (Intensified Hb testing), Treat (anemia management including iron therapy), Talk (counseling for dietary practices), Track (monitoring and referral), Jan Chetna (community awareness campaign), Monitoring and Evaluation with digital tracking, and Eating Right approach.
7 Institutional Mechanisms: Convergence across the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health, State governments, NHM, ICDS, and other implementing bodies with defined accountability.
T4 Approach
Test: Intensified Hemoglobin (Hb) testing at all service delivery points including sub-centers, PHCs, and schools.
Treat: Anemia management - includes Iron Sucrose and IV Iron Therapy (Ferric Carboxymaltose) for severe anemia and non-responders, especially pregnant and lactating women.
Talk: Counseling sessions on dietary diversity, iron-rich foods, and avoidance of inhibitors (tea, coffee) near iron consumption.
Track: Follow-up and referral tracking through digital portals including JANANI (for pregnant women) and RBSK/U-WIN portals.
Digital Ecosystem under AMBA
JANANI Portal: Tracks pregnant women's anemia status and treatment adherence.
RBSK and U-WIN Portals: Integrated tracking for child health and universal vaccination linked to anemia monitoring.
Unified AMB Abhiyan Portal: Central dashboard for monitoring, analytics, and programme planning (integrated with SDD 2.3 and NEP 2020 data).
Key Facts for Prelims
POSHAN Abhiyaan: It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, launched on 8th March 2018 in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
The program aims to address the nutrition needs of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children (0-6 years) through a targeted and convergent approach.
Objectives: It aims to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.