THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government's Vitamin A supplementation programme for children has run into a roadblock in most districts. It is feared that thousands of children
have missed out on the supplement coverage meant to prevent night blindness and boost immunity.
Trouble started after a huge stock of supplement was put on hold over doubts regarding its quality, said a health department source. "The supply of Vitamin A supplement has been suspended as of now, but it doesn't mean that the stock was of poor quality. The decision was taken after a certain immunisation centre
raised questions over standard requirements and the samples were sent for testing," said an officer.
The SAT Hospital, a major centre in the capital district in terms of the number of visitors, has been facing the shortage for over a month. In Kasaragod, the programme was stopped several months ago. "Different districts ran out of stock at different times, depending on their previous stocks. It is learnt that the state unit of the National Health Mission(NHM)is making efforts to resume supply," the officer said.
The NHM state unit is responsible for supplying the supplement. TNIE could not get across to the officials concerned for their comments. The Vitamin A supplementation, a Centrally- sponsored programme started in the 1970s, had encountered such a gap which has proved disadvantageous to thousands of children. According to the WHO, Vitamin A supplementation can reduce child mortality by as much as 24 per cent.
Job Zachariah, the UNICEF official, said studies have revealed the benefits of the supplementation programme. "In some states, special campaigns are run to conduct Vitamin A supplementation. In Kerala, children are given the oral supplement along with their immunisation doses. Hence, thousands of children might have missed out on the programme if it was stopped for a month," he said.
Zacharia, who heads the UNICEF operations in Chattisgarh, was formerly in charge of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "Remedial measures are needed. If children have missed out on vitamin A supplementation, a catch-up round cab be held on a scheduled date across the state, for children left out," he said.
Vital for newborns
Vitamin A is first given to children in the ninth month along with the measles vaccination. Next, it is given at 1- 1/2 years, two years, 2 1/2 years, three years, 3 1/2 years, four years, 4 1/2 years and at five years. A total of nine doses will be given to the child in five years.