Two million Moroccan children suffer from anemia
Morocco, Health, 9/9/1999

Two million Moroccan children (35%) suffer from anemia caused by iron shortage, according to a survey conducted by the Moroccan Health Ministry.

The survey also says 30% of Moroccan women in procreating age, 45% of pregnant women and 10% of Moroccan men also suffer from anemia.

Iron shortages might diminish children's learning capacities and weaken adults' resistance to diseases. Anemia is also the most frequent cause of maternal mortality and causes low weight at birth and infant mortality.

The Moroccan Medical Information Association recommends adding iron to food as shortage of this product entails a 2 to 3% loss in the Gross Domestic Product, and the number of Moroccans treated for shortages in iron and vitamins exceed the ceiling set by the World Health Organization. The WHO also considers the problem of anemia in Morocco as a health priority.

The association recommends that food, and particularly wheat, should be enriched with iron. It argues that this operation should be supported by legal texts and the adherence of the industrial sector, would only cost an annual 1 DH ($0.10) for each citizen.

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