Launch of Media Campaign on the Weekly Iron and Folic Supplement

By

Shri J. P. Nadda, Hon. Minister of Health and Family Welfare and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra

When –  December 23, 2015, Wednesday, Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Venue: Imperial Hotel, Delhi NCR

               

What - India has the largest number of adolescents aged 10-19 years in the world – 253 million out of 1.2 billion. This age group referred as adolescents - comprise one-fifth of India’s population and are key drivers of India’s future economic growth. However, 56 per cent of girls and 30 per cent of boys in the age group of 15-19 years in India suffer from anaemia (NFHS-3). This means that 1 out of 2 young girls and 1 out of 3 young boys are anaemic.

Adolescent marriage and pregnancy is highly prevalent in India, particularly in rural areas. Anaemia has an intergenerational impact on the cycle of poverty. Anaemia during pregnancy increases the risk or mortality and illness for the mother as well as the new born. Children born to anaemic mothers  often have low reserves of iron which if remains unchecked have further implications on their growth and development. In response to the problem, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India launched Weekly Iron & Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme in 2012 with the aim to reduce the prevalence and severity of nutritional anaemia in adolescent population (10-19 years). The target for WIFS are adolescent girls and boys in government/ government aided/ municipal schools, between classes 6 to 12 and out of school adolescent girls.

We cordially invite you to join us for the media campaign launch of WIFS  by Health Minister Shri JP Nadda and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra on 23rd December, 2015 at Imperial Hotel, Delhi.

Who: The event is being organised by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in association with UNICEF. Eminent guests who would be present at the launch include:

·         Hon. Minister of Health, Shri J.P. Nadda

·         UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Ms Priyanka Chopra

·         UNICEF India Representative, Shri Louis-Georges Arsenault

Looking forward to your confirmation on the same.

For further information, please contact:

UNICEF

Ms Geetanjali Master

Communication Specialist, UNICEF India

Tel: (+91) 981 810 5861

E-Mail: gmaster@unicef.org

Ms Sonia Sarkar

Communications officer (Media), UNICEF India

Tel: (+91) 9810170289, 9891861445

Email: ssarkar@unicef.org