KATHMANDU: The government has launched its biannual National Vitamin ‘A’ Program, administering vital supplements to millions of children across the country today and tomorrow.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, approximately 2.2 million children aged 6 months to 59 months will receive vitamin ‘A’ supplements, while around 1.9 million children aged 1 to 5 years will also be given deworming medicine as part of the campaign.
To ensure the smooth rollout of the program, the ministry has mobilized an extensive network of health personnel, including 52,000 female community health volunteers and 15,000 health workers, working at the grassroots level to reach children in even the most remote areas.
The National Vitamin ‘A’ Program was first introduced in 1993 in eight districts as a targeted intervention to prevent and treat vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of childhood blindness and increased risk of disease. By 2002, the initiative was scaled up nationwide.
The supplements are provided free of cost every Kartik (October/November) and Baisakh (April/May), with the aim of improving child nutrition, enhancing immunity, and supporting healthy growth.
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