World Anemia Awareness Day: A Silent Pandemic
Hey friends, did you know that anemia affects over 2 billion people worldwide? That’s 1 in 4 people! Anemia knows no age, no border—sapping the strength of people from all walks of life. So let’s talk about why this is so important and what World Anemia Awareness Day is all about.
Why Anemia Matters
Anemia is not just a health problem—it affects our whole society.
Just look at the numbers:
- 1 in 4 people in the world have anemia.
- Over half of pregnant women in developing countries have anemia.
- 2 in 5 kids under the age of 5 have anemia.
Anemia's Impact
Work and Productivity: Makes adults less effective at work, which reduces productivity.
Children’s Development: Slows down children’s learning and growth.
Healthcare Costs: Expensive to treat, putting pressure on healthcare systems.
Economic Impact: In poorer countries, makes life harder by affecting people’s ability to work and study.
Meet Lakshmi, a new mom. Despite the joy of being a mom, she’s constantly feeling tired and weak. You can see the struggle in her eyes as she tries to keep up with her daily chores and caring for her little one. She simply puts it down to the millions of jobs she does every day. Is that really the issue? NO! Actually her body is not just crying out for rest, it needs the power of iron. Lakshmi is severely anemic, but she doesn’t even know it.
Six-year-old Min Tun loves playing with his friends in the village, but he doesn’t always have the energy. He gets breathless and simply can’t keep up. He often just ends up sitting on the footpath, watching his friends play. He looks a bit pale and complains about feeling dizzy and having headaches. Min Tun doesn’t like going to school. He tells his mom, “the lessons are too hard for me.” He struggles to concentrate and focus properly. You guessed it, Min Tun is struggling with anemia too. It’s draining his energy and impacting his ability to learn.
Anemia Has No Borders
Yes indeed, anemia has no borders, it’s a worldwide problem that can’t be ignored any longer. It’s time to urgently raise awareness and take action.
Let’s come together to make a change! Join us for the Global ANEMIATHON in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We’ll be with experts from around the world for World Anemia Awareness Day on February 13, 2025, during the Malaysian Society of Patient Blood Management (MyPBM) Conference.
World Anemia Awareness Day is a chance to learn, share, and take action. Your support can help us reach more people and provide important information. Share this post, talk to your friends and family about anemia, and join us in ending this hidden problem.
For the Month of February
In association with the GLOBAL ANEMIATHON, I’m pleased to let you know that for this month ONLY, Blood Works: An Owner’s Guide will be on offer.
This first-of-its-kind book, written by 48 global blood health experts, is an essential resource for medical professionals and anyone else who is passionate about blood health.
You can purchase the book at a 25% discounted price directly from the publishers website.
Anemia Fast Facts
INDIA
The Anemia Mukt Bharat initiative reports that over half of Indian women in the reproductive age group suffer from anemia.—Anemia: Health Statistics and Profile of India | Medindia
AFRICA
The latest information from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that 60.2% of children aged 6-59 months in the African region were affected by anemia in 2019.— Anaemia in women and children
SOUTHEAST ASIA
According to a recent study, anemia among children in South and Southeast Asia was 57.3%.—Factors associated with anemia among children in South and Southeast Asia
LATIN AMERICA
Anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Latin America varies from 5.1% in Chile to 38.3% in Bolivia.—Prevalence of Anemia in Latin America
