INDORE: State government is planning a correlational study to find out impact of silicosis on prevalence of anaemia in mostly affected areas like Jhabua, Alirajpur and Dhar.
In the state, these three tribal districts- Jhabua, Alirajpur and Dhar, many suffered with silicosis- a deadly disease that leads to slow degradation of lung tissues following lung exposure to silica dust.
These are also the districts, where the prevalence of anaemia in kids aged 6-59 months is very high in the range of 65% to 80% in districts, showed the fifth round of National Family and Health Survey.
In the state, around 73% of kids aged 6-59 were found anaemic in NFHS-5 along with 53% females aged 15-49 years are suffering from this health condition.
A state official in NHM said, “A plan to conduct a correlational study between silicosis and anaemia is underway. The proposal is in discussion and areas where silicosis/fluorosis and anaemia is prevalent will be selected to find out the relationship.”
“The study will also try to find out the relationship of anaemia and other diseases in those areas”, added the official. There are several clusters in the state in all the different regions, where several diseases’ prevalence is very high.
In such districts in Malwa-Nimar region, under five kids in the range of 27% to 40% are stunted, 13% to 30% are wasted, showed the NFHS-5 survey.
