Kids to get Vitamin A on Apr 19, 20

KATHMANDU, Apr. 11: Necessary preparations for administering Vitamin A capsules and de-worming tablets to children in all the 75 districts of the country have reached the final stages of completion.

Vitamin A capsules and de-worming tablets are to be fed to the children on April 19 and 20 under the regular schedule of the National Vitamin A programme under the Ministry of Health and Population.

The task of making available Vitamin A capsules and de-worming tablets to the Primary Health Centres, health posts and sub-health posts by the District Health Offices of all the 75 districts is going on full swing, it is stated.

The objective is to feed Vitamin A capsules to some 3.7 million children from six months to five years of age and de-worming tablets to some 3.1 million children from one year to five years of age throughout the country.

There is a programme of about 49,000 local women health volunteers administering Vitamin A capsules and de-worming tablets to the children at designated centers at every Ward in all the Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Municipalities of the country and with the cooperation of various agencies and organisations.

Vitamin A capsules and de-worming tablets are simultaneously fed to the children with the objective of increasing the effectiveness of Vitamin A and reducing the incidence of anemia among the children resulting from worm infestation.

The National Vitamin A Programme has been conducted in the country since 2050 B.S. with the objective of reducing the child mortality rate, preventing various eye diseases such as night blindness and not letting Vitamin A deficiency to remain as a public health problem.

The Department of Health Services, Child Health Division has said that the programme has helped save the lives of 12,000 to 15,000 children every year.