Union Health Ministry launched WIFS Programme in Bangalore

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Weekly Iron and Folic Acid (WIFS) supplementation programme for adolescents in Bangalore on 17 July 2013. It is a unique initiative to protect the adolescent population from iron deficiency anemia. Around 13 crore children will benefit from this programme. According to the health ministry, 70 percent children below five years, 56 percent adolescent girls and 30 percent adolescent boys are anaemic in India.

The programme envisages distribution of Iron and Folic Acid tablets once a week on every Monday in every government, aided schools and Anganwadi centres to improve physical growth, academic performance and concentration among the growing children. The programme to be funded under the National Programme for the Control and Prevention of Anemia will have an additional benefit of providing de-worming tablets to these children biannually.