Teams of experts have been dispatched to conduct medium-term assessments of a project to eliminate infant anemia, in the four areas where the program has been implemented.

The teams will conduct the assessments in Xiushan County of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, Pingtang County of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Pucheng County of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province and Yuanzhou of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from October to November 2012.

The Action to Eliminate Infant Anemia was jointly launched by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), China's Ministry of Health and China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF) in 2011, aiming to reduce infant anemia by providing nutritional packages to infants in poverty-stricken areas and launching health education among parents.

The teams will conduct random checks on 1,400 infants between six months to 36 months old who have benefited from the program. Data will be collected to see to what degree the nutritional packages have reduced anemia.

Meanwhile, a questionnaire survey will be conducted among parents whose children have benefited from the program to learn about the results of the health education given to them.

In Xiushan, three-year-old Liao Ziai is waiting for her check-up.

“My daughter used to have no appetite. Her growth was slow and she was vulnerable to illness. Her hair was yellow. After a health check-up organized by the women's federation in November 2011, I was told that she had anemia,” said Liao's mother. “But now thanks to the nutritional packages, she has become healthy.”

“My child has taken the nutritional packages for over three months,” said Dong Jiaojiao, a resident of Pucheng County. “My child feels stronger and has a better appetite. The packages have brought many real benefits to my child.”

The assessment efforts are supported by local women’s federations and health departments of local governments.

After the assessment program is completed, a report will be published.

A team member conducts a questionnaire survey with the parent of a child under the program. [cctf.org.cn]

Pucheng County Women’s Federation distributes nutritional packages to children. [cctf.org.cn]

Parents bring their children for health check-ups in Pucheng County, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. [cctf.org.cn]

A doctor does an on-site test. [cctf.org.cn]

(cctf.org.cn)