Anaemia Profile

Anaemia is a disease that occurs when the number of red blood cells (RBCs) and/or the amount of haemoglobin found in RBCs falls below normal. Both are necessary for moving oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Inadequate supply of oxygen causes many parts of the body not to work properly. Anaemia is a fairly common and affects men and women of all ages and ethnic groups. People at an increased risk of developing anaemia include people with diets poor in iron and some vitamins, long lasting illnesses such as kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of inherited anaemia, longstanding infections such as tuberculosis or HIV and those who have had significant blood loss from injury or surgery.