Iron Deficiency Anemia

Malaysia

Vitamin A

Mongolia

Iron

Iodine

Myanmar

Date:

2000

Groups Surveyed:

Children under 5 yrs. old and their mothers, men aged 18 - 59 yrs. old.

Sample Size:

36,364

Sampling Method:

Multi-stage random cluster

Estimated Anemia Prevalence: Indicators

nonpregnant women >15 years of age:	Hb < 120 g/L
pregnant women of any age:	Hb < 110 g/L
men > 15 years of age:	Hb < 130 g/L
children 6 - 60 months of age:	Hb < 110 g/L
children 5 – 11 years of age:	Hb < 115 g/L
children 12 – 14 years of age:	Hb < 120 g/L

Region/group*	Sample size	Population in region/group (if known)	Indicator (e.g. Hb<120g/L, <110g/L, etc.)	Prevalence in sample %
Children under 5 years of age	933		<110g/l and long-term altitude exposure	30.3
Mothers	800		<120g/l and long-term altitude exposure	16.9
Men aged 18-59 years old	176		<130g/l and long-term altitude exposure	2.3

Legislation on IDA


	There is a policy to address iron deficiency. This was announced in 2001.
	There is also a national policy for iron supplementation for pregnant women and children. This is for treatment of anemic pregnant women and preventative for children..
	There is also national policy for iron fortification. In the frame of the ADB project, all wheat flour is to fortified by PREMIX.


Government Agency to Address IDD
	The Nutrition Research Center, PHI, MOH. These agencies functions are both monitoring and coordination.
	Contact Information: Dr. B. Gerelhargal


Supplementation
Program Description - Pregnant Women
	The target group is pregnant women.
	The number of women targeted is 30,000 per year.
	The type of supplements provided are 60mg iron folate tablets.
	The supplements are distributed through antenatal clinics.
	The intended frequency is daily from the second trimester to delivery.
	The national program started in 1995.


Program Description - Children
	The target group for preventative doses are children under 5 yrs. old at risk for anemia.
	The target group for treatment doses are children under 5 yrs. old with anemia.
	The number of children targeted by the supplementation program is approximately 25,000 children.
	The type of supplement provided up until the year 2000 was iron tablets. Now supplements are provided by oral solution (ferrous sulfate USP 125 mg/ml).
	The frequency is daily doses for 3 months. The dose is around 3 bottles of iron solution per child per year.
	The national program started in 1995.


Fortification
	The fortification of wheat flour has recently begun.
	The amount of iron fortificant being produced has not yet been decided.

Other Programs

	Dietary Change - There are unregular TV programs, radio serials, and IEC materials distributed.
	A reproductive health project of the UNFPA provides iron tablets for pregnant women.

Anemia
Current monitoring activities for iron deficiency anemia:
	The survey mentioned before is not being repeated.
	There is a laboratory with sufficient capacity for Hb estimates in the Public Health Institute, MOH. However the capacity of the aimag laboratory is poor and inadequate.

Programs
	Supplementation programs are monitored by a reporting system.
	The content of fortified commodities is not monitored.

Donor and Implementing Agencies

ADB, UNICEF.

Total Iron Program Funding History and Forecast for Country

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA