India’s increasing anaemia prevalence is a red flag for public health

A 54-year-old woman in Mumbai had suffered fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath for several months. She appeared pale and her skin had a slight yellowish discolouration.

“Laboratory tests showed she was anaemic, her haemoglobin was 8.3 g/dL, which is below 12.0 gm/dL, the lower limit of the normal range for women, but her serum iron level was normal as were her vitals, so we had to consider other causes of anaemia,” the treating doctor Bharesh Dedhia, head of Intensive Care at PD Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Khar, Mumbai, told IndiaSpend.

For a long time, iron and folate deficiencies were thought to be the main causes of anaemia. However, recent studies show that vitamin B12 deficiency is also quite common, said Pankaj Malhotra, professor and head of Clinical Haematology & Medical Oncology at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.

Chronic diseases, genetic conditions, bone marrow problems, the excessive breakdown of red blood cells, long-term blood loss, thyroid disorders, and certain medications can also cause anaemia. Infections like malaria and tuberculosis are major contributors to anaemia, especially in poorer communities, explained Malhotra.

In addition, exposure to polluted air could also trigger changes in the body that reduce the absorption, storage and distribution of iron, studies show.

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