KARACHI, March 17: Intestinal blood loss, occult infections, malaria and poor nutritional options with particular reference to improper consumption of food with high iron content have been identified as major causes of low haemoglobin levels among local population, particularly children.

Paediatricians maintain that more than 50 per cent of under-15 children in the country are anaemic and significant malnutrition is prevalent among the local paediatric age group.

It is observed that poor patients of anaemia and malnutrition are generally in a weak position to avail proper treatment and lead a quality life.

Declined physical activity followed by decreased school performance along with cognitive functions, growth failure and severely effected immunity system are also cited as some of the manifestations of the condition.

Anaemia is also identified to be one of the major contributory factors for Chronic Renal Disease (CRD) and renal failure among local children. It has been established on the basis of latest research that haemoglobin in local children is generally not more than eight grams which should ideally range between 10 to 12 grams.

As the optimal management of renal anaemia costs more or less Rs10,000, due care is required to be extended towards simple and cost-effective diagnosis and careful treatment.

It may also be mentioned that an annual loss of 2.5 litre blood in every single case of ESRD during procedures, including dialysis, frequent blood test, tubing/dialyser and so forth, is estimated.

While 25 per cent of first world patients, on dialysis, are registered to be inflicted with iron deficiency, the figure comes to 60 per cent in the developing countries including Pakistan.

Besides poor iron absorption, capabilities among chronic renal failure cases, iron deficiency is also attributed to external blood loss, inflammatory disorders, bone marrow malignancies and insufficient dialysis.—APP