In 2023, the Ministry of Health will organize the first Vitamin A supplementation campaign for children starting on International Children's Day, June 1, which is also Micronutrient Day. The campaign will be held nationwide, in which in 22 disadvantaged mountainous provinces, each child aged 6-59 months will receive 1 dose of Vitamin A, children aged 24-59 months will receive periodic deworming; in the remaining 41 provinces and cities, children aged 6-35 months will receive 1 dose of Vitamin A.
Vitamin A is a micronutrient that plays a particularly important role for young children. Vitamin A participates in the process of cell division, so it helps children grow and develop normally. Vitamin A also participates in the function of the eyes. If children are deficient in Vitamin A, their ability to see in low light conditions will decrease, this phenomenon is called "night blindness". Vitamin A is also necessary for the protection of the integrity of the corneal epithelium and epithelial tissues under the skin, trachea, salivary glands, respiratory, digestive and urinary tract mucosa.... Therefore, lack of Vitamin A causes dry skin, keratinization and if the eyes are damaged, it causes "dry eyes". When epithelial cells are damaged, along with a decrease in resistance, it also creates conditions for bacteria to invade and cause disease. Vitamin A participates in the body's immune response, increasing the body's resistance to disease. Therefore, when lacking Vitamin A, children are susceptible to infectious diseases and when sick, the illness lasts longer, the risk of death will be higher.
Because Vitamin A plays an important role in the health and comprehensive development of children, every year the Ministry of Health organizes a high-dose Vitamin A supplementation campaign for more than 6 million children aged 6-54 months nationwide (2 campaigns each year: the first in June; the second in December). In these campaigns, children of this age are given high-dose Vitamin A capsules. In recent times, Vitamin A supplementation campaigns have helped Vietnam eliminate blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency in 2000, which is a tremendous achievement.
Implementing the direction of the Government and the plan of the Ministry of Health, the Provincial People's Committee has just issued a plan to organize a Vitamin A drinking campaign in 2023, which requires ensuring that over 98% of children aged 6-36 months receive Vitamin A twice a year; maintain Vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women within 01 month and children under 5 years old with certain diseases that increase the risk of Vitamin A deficiency (measles, prolonged diarrhea, chronic respiratory infections, malnutrition and other severe infections, etc.); deploy the campaign in the whole province quickly, neatly, effectively and ensure proper expertise and techniques.
According to the plan, the 2023 Vitamin A Campaign will be organized in 2 phases across the province: Phase I on June 1 and 2 (Micronutrient Day); Phase II on December 1 and 2. Accordingly, children from 6 months to 11 months and 29 days old will receive a single dose of 100,000 IU (blue pill); children from 12 months to 35 months and 29 days old will receive a single dose of 200,000 IU (red pill); postpartum mothers within the first month will receive a single dose of 200,000 IU. Continue to supplement Vitamin A for children at high risk of Vitamin A deficiency (single dose according to the above calculation). For children who are definitely diagnosed with Measles, supplement Vitamin A for them according to Decision No. 1327/QD-BYT, dated April 18, 2014 on promulgating Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Measles.
It is expected that in 2023, the whole province will need 159,754 Vitamin A tablets of both 100,000 IU and 200,000 IU; in addition to the remaining inventory, the whole province will need to buy an additional 124,597 tablets of 200,000 IU/tablet and 14,755 tablets of 100,000 IU/tablet. The province will provide the budget to buy all the Vitamin A supplements needed in 2023.
The Provincial People's Committee requests the Department of Health to take full responsibility for advising the Provincial People's Committee to ensure the supply of Vitamin A and organize the implementation of Vitamin A drinking in the province. In addition, units such as the Department of Finance, Department of Planning and Investment, Provincial Communication Center, People's Committees of districts, towns and cities, based on their functions and tasks, will effectively implement the Campaign. All of this is to ensure the improvement of micronutrient deficiency in children in the province (especially Vitamin A deficiency); improve knowledge and practice on preventing micronutrient deficiency in children and mothers with young children.
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