Increase vitamin A supply

The Drug Administration Department requests that units strengthen research, production, sourcing, and import of vitamin A supplements in general, and high-dose vitamin A (100,000 IU and 200,000 IU) in particular, to supply the health program. During implementation, if any difficulties or obstacles arise, please report them promptly to the Drug Administration Department for consideration and resolution.

Give children vitamin A.

According to the Drug Administration, currently only three vitamin A medications (5,000 IU) have valid registration certificates in Vietnam. Previously, the Ministry of Health received Official Letter No. 3133/SYT-NVD from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health regarding the shortage of single-ingredient vitamin A medications (referred to as vitamin A) for use in health programs.

Regarding the reasons for the shortage, the Drug Administration of Vietnam stated that previously, high-dose vitamin A (100,000 IU and 200,000 IU) used to supplement children aged 6-60 months was provided by foreign organizations, imported into Vietnam, and distributed to provinces and cities nationwide according to needs, given free of charge to children in that age group. However, from 2023, provinces and cities must proactively develop plans to purchase vitamin A from local funds or from national target programs already allocated to the locality.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition, vitamin A plays an important role in many bodily functions, and children need sufficient vitamin A for normal growth and development.

Vitamin A is involved in the visual function of the eye, specifically the ability to see in low light conditions. Therefore, a deficiency in vitamin A reduces the eye's ability to see in low light, a phenomenon that often occurs at dusk and is therefore called "night blindness." Night blindness is an early clinical manifestation of vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin A is also essential for the integrity of the corneal epithelium, subcutaneous epithelium, trachea, salivary glands, small intestine, testes, etc. When vitamin A is deficient, mucus production decreases, the skin becomes dry and keratinized, a symptom often seen in the eyes, initially as conjunctival dryness followed by corneal damage. Damaged epithelial cells, along with decreased immunity, create conditions for bacterial invasion.

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