Shillong: Concerns over the high prevalence of anaemia among pregnant and lactating women in Meghalaya were raised in the assembly on Tuesday, with CM Conrad K Sangma assuring the House that he would personally monitor a special study into the issue.Leader of opposition Mukul Sangma told the assembly that he had detected an unusually high number of anaemia cases during visits to health centres in East Garo Hills. He said many women had to be referred outside the district.The CM said the govt had been tracking every pregnancy in the state through a software application for the past seven years, while keeping the identities of the women anonymous, to identify high-risk cases, including anaemia.“About 10% to 15% are high-risk mothers and most of them are anaemic. We have the full spectrum for the entire state,” Sangma said. He added that such women were shifted to transit mother homes 15 days before delivery and provided additional nutrition and financial support.He said focused interventions had helped reduce Meghalaya’s maternal mortality ratio by 55% in seven years — the highest decline in the country. He added that the govt would leave no stone unturned to bring maternal deaths down to zero.“We don’t want a single mother to lose her life while bringing a life to this world. I will personally look into this and we will do a special audit and take special care in East Garo Hills,” he told the assembly.Mukul Sangma had earlier said anaemia was being treated as “usual” in the district’s community health centres and primary health centres. He stressed the link between maternal nutrition and stunted growth among children.“It is a real problem and abnormally high in East Garo Hills. There is an urgent need for a special focus, strategies and a complete survey on mothers’ health,” he said.The CM also told the assembly that anganwadi centres were being upgraded under the Meghalaya Early Childhood Development Mission. Supplementary nutrition was being provided for 25 days a month, including hot cooked meals for children aged three to six years.Weekly take-home rations were being provided to children aged six months to three years, as well as pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls. Eggs would soon be provided twice a week, Sangma said.Citing National Family Health Survey data, he said stunting among children under five had fallen from 46% to 35% in three years. The overall malnutrition figure in Meghalaya had declined to 36%, a fall he said was greater than the national average.
