Anemia Mukt Bharat Index: Methodology and State Rankings of Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Coverage in India, 2018-2019 to 2022-2023.

Overall IFA supplementation coverage in India increased by 22.1 percentage points between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023.

• Coverage increased from 35.5% in 2018-2019 to 57.6% in 2022-2023.
• The increase was measured using the AMB index, which provides an average for IFA supplementation coverage across target groups.
• Data were sourced from the health management information system and the AMB dashboard.
• The AMB program was launched in 2018 by the Government of India.

IFA supplementation coverage increased for all five target groups during the 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 period.

• The five target groups were pregnant women, children aged 6-59 months, children aged 5-9 years, adolescents aged 10-19 years, and lactating mothers.
• The AMB program targets these groups through 6 programmatic interventions and 6 institutional mechanisms.
• Coverage data were acquired from the AMB dashboard with IFA supplementation coverage sourced from the health management information system.

Supply chain management and data reporting on the portal were identified as key factors that substantially impacted IFA supplementation coverage.

• These were among the key factors substantially impacting IFA supplementation coverage across the study period.
• The authors noted that IFA supplementation coverage will significantly increase if the IFA supply chain and reporting standards improve.
• The study discusses policy implications and suggestions to improve overall IFA supplementation coverage across India.

The Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) index was developed as a methodology to provide timely and systematic information on IFA supplementation coverage across target groups.

• The AMB index calculates an average for IFA supplementation coverage for the five target groups.
• The index is aimed at aiding in evaluating the effectiveness of the AMB program.
• Data covered fiscal years 2018-2019 through 2022-2023.
• The index enables state-level rankings of IFA supplementation coverage across India.

The Anemia Mukt Bharat program was launched in 2018 to address anemia across multiple population groups in India.

• The program targets children aged 6-59 months, children aged 5-9 years, adolescents aged 10-19 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
• The program operates through 6 programmatic interventions and 6 institutional mechanisms.
• The program aims to accelerate reductions in the prevalence of anemia among these groups.