2.2 Million Children to Receive Vitamin A Nationwide; 1.9 Million to Be Given Deworming Medicine and Child Micronutrient Powder
Child Health Campaign to Include Malnutrition Screening
Nepal Health News, Kathmandu:The government is set to distribute Vitamin A capsules to 2.2 million children aged 6 to 59 months across the country. Under the National Vitamin A Program, the Ministry of Health and Population will administer Vitamin A to children this coming Saturday and Sunday.
Every year in the Nepali months of Kartik (October/November) and Baisakh (April/May), the government provides Vitamin A and deworming medicine free of cost to children. On the same days, approximately 1.9 million children aged one to five years will also receive deworming tablets and child micronutrient powder (Balvita). In addition, malnutrition screenings will also be conducted.
The campaign will mobilize around 52,000 Female Community Health Volunteers and 15,000 health workers.
The National Vitamin A Program, aimed at preventing and treating Vitamin A deficiency, was initially launched in eight districts in 1993 (2050 B.S.) and has been implemented nationwide since 2002 (2059 B.S.).
Similarly, the deworming program began in 1999 (2056 B.S.) in 13 districts and has been expanded to all districts since 2010 (2067 B.S.). The distribution of Balvita began in 2007 (2064 B.S.).
