Weekly Iron and Folic Acid supplementation (WIFS) Programme is meant for?

Tripura CHO - 2021

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: Tripura CHO - 2021

Explanation

The Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme is a public health initiative by the Government of India.
Its primary target beneficiaries are adolescent boys and girls in the age group of 10-19 years.
This includes both adolescents attending government/government-aided schools and out-of-school adolescent girls.
The program aims to reduce the prevalence and incidence of anemia in this high-risk group through weekly supplementation and biannual deworming.

Option A: This is partially correct as it includes adolescent girls, but lactating mothers are not the target group for the weekly WIFS program. They receive daily IFA supplementation.
Option B: This option incorrectly includes pregnant and lactating mothers. These groups have a different supplementation schedule (daily) and are not part of the WIFS program.
Option C: Pregnant women are a critical group for IFA supplementation to prevent maternal anemia and adverse birth outcomes, but they are covered under a different scheme that provides daily tablets, not the weekly WIFS program.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Target beneficiaries of the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in the implementation of the WIFS program, especially in school health programs and community outreach.
Responsibilities include health education on nutrition and anemia, supervising tablet administration, monitoring for side effects, and screening for severe anemia for referral.
Preventing anemia in adolescents is crucial as it improves physical growth, cognitive development, and work capacity. For girls, it helps break the intergenerational cycle of anemia, as a healthy adolescent is more likely to be a healthy mother.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the specific government health program mentioned in the question, which is the 'Weekly Iron and Folic Acid supplementation (WIFS) Programme'.
Recall the key features of major national health programs. The name 'Weekly' is a major clue that differentiates it from other programs.
Analyze the options to identify the target demographic for this specific program.
Eliminate options that refer to groups covered by other programs. For instance, pregnant and lactating women receive daily IFA supplementation, not weekly.
Select the option that accurately reflects the target population of the WIFS program, which is adolescents.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Target beneficiaries of the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme.
Stem keywords: Weekly Iron and Folic Acid supplementation, WIFS, Programme
Lead-in keywords: meant for

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