From: Idania Jimenez - Lima, 2512 San Luis St.

Contact: Division of News & Electronic Media, Office of Communication

Email: Wawakuyayqui@hotmail.com
Phone: (081) 613-518
Date: March 25, 2021

For Immediate Release: May 1, 2021

A PROGRAM IS DEVELOP IN HUANCAVELICA TO

COMBAT ANEMIA

The National and Local government leaders along with the participation of health workers

and volunteers, create a coalition to implement the Amor de Hierro program carried out on

5 July to combat Anemia among children under the age of 5 in the Huancavelica region.

Anemia is a serious global public health problem that particularly affects young children

and pregnant women (WHO, 2016). According to the National Institute of Statistics and

Informatics ([INEI], 2019), in Peru, Anemia affects 43.6% of the population, where the

Huancavelica population is affected at 54.7%. "These figures are worrisome because they

negatively affect children's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development," said

Julia R. Asarco, an epidemiologist who specialized in the nutrition branch.

Therefore, with the support of the Peruvian and local government of Huancavelica, along

with the participation of health workers and volunteers, this program is created with the

mission to promote health literacy and self-advocacy through customized health education

courses and personalized coaching. With the aim to empower the residents of Huancavelica

to improve the well-being of their children.

This program will offer classes focusing on the methods that mothers and caregivers can

use to take care of children and instructing them on the foods that contain the nutritional
composition and iron supplements to overcome anemia. As well health workers and

volunteers will reach out to the community with fliers, brochures, radio spots, and

individual home visits.

The certified health educator, Maricela Perez said that “It is necessary to become aware and

understand that when a child has anemia, treatment is not short-term, but that it takes six

months of follow-up to reverse this disease”, she also exhorts everyone to unite to reduce

the rate of anemia in the region, “This is our most difficult task because we are not talking

about just for the future of our children but for the future of the country, we must all be

together and united, and if there is one thing we must show, is the unity in the fight against

Anemia”.

END