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Anemia is a major health problem in students: Soravaki

September 26, 2018 4:47 am

The National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Health Ministry has revealed that almost half of Fiji’s young population are anemic.

Project Officer NIMS, Kiti Soravaki, says anemia is one of the major health problems of school students and in order to decrease the iron deficiency in the children, the ministry has rolled out the National Iron and Micro Nutrition Supplement Program in 89 schools.

Soravaki says lack of iron in their blood causes fatigue, tiredness, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

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“Almost one in every two students are affected with anemia and in the under-five, around sixty percent of the children under the age of five suffer from anemia as well.”

Soravaki says the ministry will carry out this project for five years and intends to cover 90 percent of schools in the country.