Tirupati: State takes up mass Vitamin A campaign

Tirupati: As part of the global health strategy to eliminate Vitamin A deficiency, the state government has also taken up its supplementation campaign. The week-long programme is being conducted once in every six months and the current spell began on March 9. It will conclude on March 14 in all districts.

Needless to say that Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness and this particular vitamin is essential for child survival. Even the mild or moderate Vitamin A deficiency lead to weaker immune system in children which may cause them respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases and measles thereby increasing the risk of death.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, two high dose supplements per year are required for children which can be stored in the body for a few months. It was observed that by providing Vitamin A supplementation to children under five years twice a year, mortality rates in general could be reduced by up to 23 per cent, measles mortality can be reduced by 50 per cent and mortality from diarrhoeal diseases by 33 per cent.

The government has made it clear that biannual administration of Vitamin A supplementation is one of the most cost effective health interventions for reducing infant and child mortality.

This supplementation will be given to children from nine months to 5 years of age and they should get a total of nine doses. Children below nine months to one year will be given one ml and above one year children to be given two ml syrup orally. Chittoor district immunisation officer Dr C Hanumantha Rao said that it will be administered free of cost at all Anganwadi centres, sub-centres and primary health centres up to March 14. All the children in the said age group should be given this syrup irrespective of their previous dose.

The ANMs and Anganwadi workers have to take up the campaign during regular immunisation sessions to ensure regular intake of Vitamin A rich foods. They need to counsel pregnant and lactating mothers and mothers of children below five years on this. In Chittoor district, during the first two days of the campaign itself 93,237 children were given the syrup.