Vitamin ‘A’ capsules to be administered to around 2.7 million children

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population is going to administer Vitamin ‘A’ capsules free of cost to all children across the country.

Around 2.7 million children from six months to 59 months across the country would be fed Vitamin ‘A’ capsule on October 24 and 25 under the National Vitamin ‘A’ Programme.

According to the Ministry, although the programme to administer Vitamin ‘A’ capsule is launched on Kartik 3 and 4 every year, it is going to be administered on Kartik 7 and 8 (October 24 and 25) this year due to Dashain festival.

Chief of Nutrition Section of Department of Health Services, Kedar Parajuli, said that 100,000 units of Vitamin ‘A’ would be administered to children from six months to 11 months while 200,000 units to children from 12 months to 59 months.

Similarly, de-worming tables would also be administered to children from 12 months to 59 months on the occasion.

The de-worming tablet (Albendazole) will also be administered to children up to five years. Children from one to two years will be given 200 milligrams while those from two years to five years will be given 400 milligrams of this tablet.

Chief of the Nutrition Section Parajuli said three million Vitamin ‘A’ capsules and 2.5 million tablets of Albendazole will be distributed for the National Vitamin ‘A’ Programme.

The government has been running the Vitamin ‘A’ Programme since 2050 BS to minimize the risk of health complications and malnutrition among children between six months to 59 months old. The de-worming tablets have been administered since 2056 BS.

He said 25 thousand health workers and 52 thousand women health volunteers would be mobilised for conducting the National Vitamin ‘A’ Programme.

The Ministry has urged the parents to follow the public health protocols while taking their children to the Vitamin ‘A’ administration booths for protection from coronavirus infection.

It has urged all not to crowd at the distribution booth, to maintain at least two metres physical distance from one person to the next, to mandatorily use face mask in the right way for the safety of self and the children, to wash hands with soap and water time to time and to use sanitizer.