Flour strategy to decrease anemia in Yemen [Archives:2006/932/Local News]

SANA'A, March 25 ) The Ministry of Public Health and Population organized a workshop last Wednesday to announce fortifying flour with iron and folate (vitamin A).

Dr. Ali Al-Medwahi, General Director of Family Health at the ministry, said the aim of fortifying flour with iron and folate is to decrease folate and iron deficiencies in mothers and their newborn children. He affirmed that Yemen ranks first among Middle Eastern countries as to child malnutrition. “This project's aim is to fortify 70 percent of available flour with iron and folate. It also aims to raise awareness of the danger of anemia,” he added.

“Flour was chosen to be fortified with iron and folate because every family consumes it. Families make bread every day, especially in the countryside,” Al-Medwahi noted.

UNICEF representative Ramesh Shrestha said the project will solve Yemen's biggest health problem of anemia. “Iron deficiency cases in Yemen decrease productivity abilities all over the country. Nutritional iron deficiency affects everyone. Approximately 20 percent of maternal deaths are due to iron deficiency during pregnancy. According to international statistics, 50 percent of women and 20 percent of men suffer from iron deficiency,” Shrestha said.

“There are no accurate statistics for iron deficiency cases among Yemenis. But according to our data, iron deficiency cases are high, especially among pregnant women. UNICEF is cooperating with the Ministry of Health and five private flour mills to fortify flour with iron and folate,” Shrestha added.

Studies show that anemia is common among 90 percent of Yemen's population. A 1982-83 study conducted in the southern and eastern governorates showed that every child under age 3 was anemic.

Approximately 3.1 billion people suffer from anemia worldwide, with studies showing that anemia causes 50 percent of deaths.
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