Today, approximately 2.3 billion people suffer from anemia, with an estimated one in two attributed to iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and experiencing symptoms like frequent tiredness, dizziness, paleness, impaired immunity, thus impacting their quality of life and productivity. Southeast Asia and Africa continue to report the highest prevalence rates of anemia, accounting for 85 percent of global reported cases
To help address this issue, P&G Health, the health care division of The Procter & Gamble Company, has kicked-off the P&G Blood Health Forum, a virtual series of medical education sharing sessions involving internationally recognized experts aimed at addressing the public health challenge that anemia continues to pose around the world.
Aalok Agrawal, Senior Vice President, P&G Health – Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said, “Anemia continues to be a public health issue around the world today. With the P&G Blood Health Forum, we are heartened to be welcoming some of the world’s leading experts in the field of anemia, iron physiology and nutritional health, to exchange insights and work together to tackle the global anemia health problem.”
Held virtually across seven countries in Asia, this year’s opening session was themed ‘Pioneering blood health through early diagnosis and management of iron and micronutrient deficiency’. The discussion sessions, led by an international speaker faculty of leading experts in the fields of anemia, public health, iron physiology and nutritional health, covered a wide breadth of topics on the diagnosis, communication and management of iron deficiency and anemia in patients.
Importantly these topics were contextualized against the current global SARs-COV-2 pandemic. Drawing upon relevant, recent research exploring the potential role of red blood cell dynamics and iron homeostasis in the clinical presentation of COVID-19, the forum offered insights into physiological and clinical considerations for patient management in the new normal.
As part of this initiative, P&G Health also announced a strategic partnership with the ‘Asia & Oceania Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology’ (AOFOG) whom it will be collaborating with on future professional and public health initiatives. This includes a series of ‘Blood Health Forum’ virtual sessions covering topics designed to educate, raise awareness and ultimately support better patient outcomes.
