About Anaemia

Anaemia is a condition in which there is not enough haemogobin in the body to carry oxygen to the organs and tissues. Anaemia can be caused by poor nutrition, infections, chronic diseases, blood loss such as through heavy menstruation or postpartum haemorrhage, and inherited disorders. Therefore, anaemia is considered as a strong indicator of overall health. See WHO fact sheet on anaemia for more details. 

Anaemia mainly affects infants, young children, pregnant and postpartum women, and menstruating adolescent girls and women. It is most common in low-and middle-income countries, especially among populations living in conditions of poverty or social exclusion. Globally, it is estimated that 40% of all children aged 6–59 months, 37% of pregnant women and 30% of women 15–49 years of age are affected by anaemia. For all population groups combined, it is estimated that nearly one quarter of the world’s population, or 1.8 billion people, suffered from some form of anaemia in 2019.

While anaemia can be caused by blood loss such as postpartum haemorrhage, it can also contribute to postpartum haemorrhage, which can lead to maternal death. Anaemia results in symptoms such as tiredness, dizziness or feeling light-headed, shortness of breath - especially upon exertion, reduced physical work capacity, and in prolonged or more severe cases can lead to poor cognitive and motor development, and increased risk of adverse maternal and newborn outcomes for pregnant women. These effects can have important economic consequences for individuals, families, communities and countries, including poor school performance and lower adult productivity.

The framework addresses and consolidates recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and management of anaemia due to nutritional deficiencies, infections, blood loss such as through heavy menstruation or postpartum haemorrhage, and inherited red blood cell disorders – all of which must be addressed to effectively prevent and treat anaemia. The framework sets forth ways to address the direct causes, risk factors and broad social inequities that are fundamental drivers for anaemia. It describes the necessarily comprehensive approach that brings together multiple sectors and actors, and lays out key action areas to improve the coverage of interventions. It was designed by WHO to guide countries in developing or updating national strategies to reduce anaemia. See Accelerating anaemia reduction: a comprehensive framework for action for more details.