POC Hemoglobin Testing Drives Iron Supplement Demand in LatAm Public Health
Point-of-care (POC) hemoglobin testing programmes in South America, spearheaded by EKF Diagnostics, are creating direct, verifiable demand for iron supplementation. These initiatives, driven by public health goals, offer a clear model for market development and product specification.
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Lima, Peru — 06 February 2020
Medical products manufacturer EKF Diagnostics is actively reducing anaemia rates across South America, specifically in Peru, through the deployment of its Hemo Control haemoglobin analyser. This initiative, highlighted by EKF’s Global Product Manager Hematology, Katja Lemburg, directly links immediate haemoglobin results to the recommendation and uptake of iron supplementation. The company's strategy involves integrating these analysers into public health campaigns to address widespread nutritional problems, particularly child malnutrition.
Peru, with 22% of its 31 million population living in poverty and facing limited access to nutritious food, presents a significant challenge. The World Food Programme attributes this restricted access as the root of pervasive anaemia, disproportionately affecting the poorest regions. EKF Diagnostics' Hemo Control analysers are deployed in crucial screening and monitoring roles to manage iron deficiency levels in children suffering from malnutrition.
Programmes supported by entities like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have facilitated widespread testing of infants in diverse locations, including schools, health centres, and remote villages. Peru's 24 regions contain up to ten health centres each, necessitating haemoglobin analysers to support anaemia management. EKF Diagnostics notes that haemoglobin or haematocrit tests are primary diagnostic tools for anaemia, underlining the critical role of their POC devices.
Malnutrition is a significant cause of anaemia, making haemoglobin measurement a reliable screening tool. The Peruvian Programa Articulado Nutricional exemplifies this, leveraging a network of Ministry of Health nutritionists and nurses to implement EKF Diagnostics' analysers in remote areas. Approximately 8,600 Hemo Control analysers are currently in use across Peru, enduring extreme conditions from coastal heat (35°C) to Andean altitudes (4,500m) and humid jungle environments. The analysers provide haemoglobin results within 25 seconds, aiding swift nutritional intervention.
What this means for United Kingdom
UK supplement manufacturers and brand owners should recognise the validated demand model demonstrated by LatAm public health initiatives. This model provides a blueprint for developing products suitable for mass-market intervention, focusing on high-efficacy, cost-effective iron formulations. Procurement teams can anticipate increased global demand for specific iron compounds (e.g., ferrous bisglycinate, ferrous fumarate) driven by such programmes, potentially impacting raw material pricing and lead times. Regulatory teams must monitor evolving international standards for micronutrient fortification and claims, particularly for public health-focused products. This also opens opportunities for UK firms to partner with NGOs or export cost-effective iron supplements to these markets.
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