Kathmandu, April 19

More than 2.76 million children between six months and five years of age were given vitamin A capsules across the country today.

Around 2.35 million children aged between one and five years of age were given de-worming tablets.

Children were given vitamin A capsules and de-worming drugs under the National Vitamin A programme started by the government in 1993. This year the programme started yesterday and will continue till tomorrow. According to Family Welfare Division, around 52,000 female community health volunteers and youth volunteers administered vitamin A capsules and de-worming drugs from 36,000 nutrition booths.

Chief of Nutrition Section at Family Welfare Division Kedar Parajuli said about 95 per cent children in the age group were given vitamin A capsules today. For those children who missed vitamin A capsules today, health workers will administer the capsules by visiting their houses. Every year, the government spends nearly Rs 150 million in providing vitamin A capsules and albendazole tablets to the children below five years of age to reduce child mortality rate and night blindness in children.

Parajuli said with the beginning of the programme, child mortality rate of the country had gone down significantly.

According to Parajuli, in comparison to people in rural areas, city dwellers are less responsive to the government-run programme.