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WIFS (Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation)


Background:
Adolescent Anaemia is a long standing public health problem in India and it is estimated that more than 5 crores adolescents (15 to 19 years are anaemic in the country). Anaemia is caused by Iron deficiency and adolescents are at high risk of Iron deficiency and thereby anaemia due to accelerated growth and body mass building, poor dietary intake of iron and high rate of worm infestation In girls deficiency of iron is further aggravated with higher demands with onset of menstruation and also due to the problem of adolescent pregnancy and conception.
Guided by the empirical evidence that weekly supplementation of 100mg elemental Iron and 500ug Folic Acid (IFA) is effective in decreasing incidence and prevalence of anaemia in adolescents, MOHFW has launched the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme for school going adolescent girls and boys and for out of school adolescent girls. The Programme envisages administration of supervised weekly IFA Supplementation and biannual deworming tablets to approximately 13 crore rural and urban adolescents through the platform of Govt/Govt. aided and municipal school and Anganwadi Kendra and combat the intergenerational cycle of anaemia.
Procurement and supply mechanism, implementation, monitoring, roles and responsibilities and capacity building of frontline workers of Health, Education and WCD department is detailed in the Operational Framework. All States and UTs have proposed the procurement of IFA and Albendazole in the PIP 2012-2013.