Anemia Found in 38 Percent of Adolescent Girls in Rupandehi

Rupandehi : Anemia has emerged as a growing health concern among adolescent girls in Rupandehi. According to the District Health Office, 4,321 out of 11,444 adolescent girls tested for anemia in fiscal year 2025/26 were found to have the condition.

Public Health Nurse at the District Health Office, Deepa Khadka, shared the data while presenting the district’s reproductive health situation. According to her, nearly 38 percent of the girls tested were found to be anemic.

She emphasized the need to expand awareness of reproductive health and access to health services from adolescence.

The District Health Office also reported that 14 women who had received checkups at health facilities died from maternal causes during the same fiscal year.

During a discussion on reproductive health, stakeholders said greater efforts were needed to address unsafe abortions, pregnancies and childbirth among women under 20, and other reproductive health problems.

District Health Office Chief Uma Thapa briefed participants on the role, responsibilities and plans of the Reproductive Health Coordination Committee. She said the office would continue coordinating with organizations working in the reproductive health sector.

Ramendra Singh Rawal, executive director of Kalika Self-Reliance Social Centre, said the organization has been implementing programs on adolescent reproductive health and reducing violence against women in Rupandehi, Kapilvastu and Nawalparasi through the ‘Samsara’ project.

Umakanta Chapagain, coordinator of the District Reproductive Health Coordination Committee and chief of the District Coordination Committee, Rupandehi, pledged to coordinate and initiate efforts to expand access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and ensure women’s rights.

The discussion was attended by gynecologist Dr. Shailaja Ghimire of Bhim Hospital, Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit, Rupandehi, Bishnu Prasad Panthi, acting ward chairperson of Siddharthanagar Municipality–9 Basanta Bhattarai, Chief of Family Planning Association Nepal, Rupandehi, Shobhakanta Neupane, senior lab technician at the District Health Office Khimlal Pandey, and Hirachand Nepal of the Nepal Red Cross Society, among others.

Participants suggested giving priority to comprehensive sexuality education to strengthen the health of adolescents.