South Asia Unites to Combat Anaemia: A Regional Call to Action

Anaemia remains a major challenge in South Asia, impacting almost half of women and adolescent girls. A regional conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, aims to tackle this health issue by bringing policymakers and health experts together to develop collective strategies and a shared regional framework to reduce anaemia.

Anaemia, one of South Asia's most pressing health challenges, continues to affect nearly half of all adolescent girls and women in the region. The World Health Organisation-South East Asia (WHO-SEA) has warned that without aggressive action, 18 million more could be affected by 2030, adding to the current 259 million cases.

In response, seven South Asian governments have united for the first time to address this critical issue. From July 9-11, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Government of Sri Lanka, UNICEF, WHO, and other partners are hosting a conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The conference aims to tackle anaemia among women and girls by devising a unified regional strategy and coordinating action plans across countries.

The event, involving over 100 policymakers and health experts, seeks to launch a new academic alliance to drive research and close gaps in scientific knowledge. Local leaders believe that such initiatives could greatly enhance the impact of existing health and nutrition programs, highlighting Sri Lanka's commitment to leading these efforts. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, emphasized the broader societal implications of anaemia, linking it to issues of nutrition, infection, and social inequality.

(With inputs from agencies.)