P&G Health Commemorates Iron Deficiency Day

MUMBAI:
Continuing its efforts to raise awareness about iron deficiency in India, Procter & Gamble Health Limited & FOGSI (The Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India) worked with Guinness World Records to create a unique world record for the largest number of videos of people – including medical practitioners – saying the same sentence uploaded to Facebook in one hour, to raise awareness on Iron Deficiency Anemia.

India is one of the countries carrying the largest burden of anemia globally, contributing to an estimated 80% of the maternal deaths with almost 53% of pregnant women being anaemic according to National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) 1 . Iron deficiency is a leading cause of anaemia, especially among women and adolescent girls, leading to stunted growth, irregular menstrual cycles, fatigue and loss of energy among other issues.  Further, 7 out of every 10 children aged 6-59 months in India are anaemic.

Procter & Gamble Health Limited’s Managing Director, Milind Thatte said, “P&G Health has been dedicated to awareness and education efforts on iron deficiency in our 50 years of presence in India. We are very proud of our GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title wherein in a one-of-its-kind record, Over 2000 people have stepped forward helping create awareness to help India Breakfree from Iron Deficiency Anemia. By doing this we aim to raise awareness on iron deficiency anaemia, help people identify early symptoms, and take measures to overcome them.”

He further added, “We are committed to continued efforts towards the day when we, as a country, will be free from Anaemia.” Dr Shantha Kumari, President, FOGSI added, “We are very pleased to be part of this very important milestone as people and medical practitioners from across the country have come together to contribute to this new Guinness World Records™ title towards creating awareness on Iron Deficiency Anemia and its associated problems.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vijayalakshmi G Pillai, said, “I am happy to have pledged my support to this initiative as it is not just focused on creating a record but aims to create awareness about the challenges posed by iron deficiency anaemia. India is endemic for nutritional deficiencies and has one
of the highest rates of Iron deficiency and anemia cases. It is usually seen that Iron deficiency can be confused with deficiency of vital vitamins and at times overlooked. Symptoms like Fatigue, lethargy, weakness, and diminished immunity are rising concerns across all ages and should not be ignored.
Adding to this momentous occasion, Rishi Nath, Official Adjudicator, Guinness World Records, ‘The record for Most videos of people saying the same sentence uploaded to Facebook in one hour was never attempted before. This unique record involved medical practitioners, a first of its kind! Kudos to the team for achieving this feat!’