Anemia among Kazakh women of reproductive age reduced as a result of campaign promoting fortified flour consumption

The availability of the fortified flour products in the market in targeted regions has reduced anemia prevalence among women or reproductive age by 1.7 times. By provision of iron and folic acid in the flour we can save about 90 thousand lives annually in Kazakhstan and to increase economic activity of the population by more than half a billion dollars within the next ten years in Kazakhstan" - said Mr Radoslaw Rzehak, UNICEF Representative a.i. in Kazakhstan.

We should employ the underutilized potential of cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan in promoting the significance of fortified flour consumption among children by information campaigns in schools, pre-school institutions etc., " suggested Ms Maral Rakhimzhanova, acting Head of Department under Committee for State Epidemiological Survey of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan at the meeting, the press service of the UNICEF in Kazakhstan reports.

She has also stressed that an important milestone in the implementation of the three-year programme was reached by incorporation of the Article on prevention of iron deficiency through mandatory flour fortification into Health and Health System Code of Kazakhstan together with elaboration of regulatory legal acts for monitoring the adherence to this article.

The campaign which was launched in 2008 enabled development of video and audio materials promoting the usefulness of the fortified flour consumption, information and exploratory films for children and teachers, establishment of the web-site http://vitaminfood.kz/ , arrangement of seminars for journalists, NGO and millers, holding of contest among Media and children for the best articles about the advantage of the fortified flour consumption. As the result of the information campaign milling enterprises, youth NGOs and National Healthy Lifestyle Centre and UNICEF entered into Alliance for Health Festival.

The results of the latter held in April 2011 in West Kazakhstan and East Kazakhstan Regions by the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition prove that the level of anemia among women of child-bearing age has plummeted, particularly in the households that consumed the flour enriched with iron and vitamins.

As explained by Vice President of the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition Professor Shamil Tazhibayev in West Kazakhstan Region 63,8% of households consume fortified wheat flour which eventuated in reduction of the anemia among women in 2011 by 1,7 times (from 77% to 45%) as opposed to the 2008 data.

In opinion of President of the Kazakh Union of Millers and Bakers Mr Evgeniy Gan to further the flour fortification Kazakhstan needs the state support and incitement along with raising the awareness of the population.

"I would like to thank UNICEF not only for the assistance in mandatory salt iodization and flour fortification but also for the overall collaboration in child rights protection, " stated Ms Rashida Naubetova, Head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Women Affairs and Family-Demographic Policy under the President of Kazakhstan.

In the end of the meeting UNCEF Representative a.i. in Kazakhstan Radoslaw Rzehak expressed gratitude in the name of UNICEF and all the Partners to "Zernovaya Industria" LLC for their active participation in the social mobilization campaign and saturation of market in West Kazakhstan Region with the fortified flour.

The meeting culminated in adoption of the resolution by all the parties on establishment of regulatory framework for mandatory state procurement of fortified flour to be used in public, social, education and medical sectors. On top of that, the Parties agreed upon preparing a joint memorandum among Ministries, NGOs and corporate sector to step the fortified flour consumption up.