Challenges in scaling up successful public health interventions: Lessons learnt from resistance to a nationwide roll-out of the weekly iron–folic acid supplementation programme for adolescents in India.

Anaemia, a major public health problem globally, affects an estimated 1.6 billion people.1 It has effects on the physical and mental health, as well as the productivity of people, particularly those in the vulnerable groups.2,3 The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3, 2005–06 estimated that 56% of women and 30% of men in India in the age group of 15–19 years were anaemic.4 Anaemia among people in the age group of 15–24 years was reported to be more common in the rural than urban areas, and among families belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata (Table I). Iron deficiency anaemia is one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies globally and in India.5 About 60% of adolescents in the age group of 10–17 years have been reported to consume less than 50% of the recommended dietary allowance of iron, according to the 2012 National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) multistate survey.6 The low iron content of a typical Indian diet, along with the high prevalence of worm infestation, is the cause of the high prevalence of anaemia in India.7 The various strategies for the

Linking undergraduate medical education to primary health care.

Under graduate medical education aims at producing doctors who are competent in preventive, promotive and curative knowledge and skills. The community medicine curriculum in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi has been designed with this objective in view. Students are given community oriented training in urban and rural settings whereby students are taught to carry out various activities under the guidance of faculty members. This curriculum has evolved over many years and provides ample exposure to the students to understand the health problems, and health system of the country especially at the primary and secondary level. There is a sequential teaching of community medicine, which starts from fourth semester through internship. Successful training in community medicine lies outside the walls of the department and the involvement of other partners like the community, health systems etc contribute largely.

Distribution of blood pressure and influence of subcutaneous fat on systolic and diastolic levels in a tribal population.

The distribution of arterial blood pressure levels and the influence of subcutaneous fat on blood pressure are investigated among Mall, an agricultural tribe of Andhra Pradesh. Majority of Mali people exhibit optimum levels of blood pressure. The incidence of stage 1 hypertension is moderate. The mean levels of blood pressure are relatively higher among women compared to men. The regression co-efficient values indicate a positive influence of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Manzai Mali. The results are discussed in the light of earlier studies.