Kathmandu, April 19:

Around 48,000 female community health volunteers (FCHV) administered Vitamin A and de-worming capsules to the children aged six months and five years across the country today on the first day of the two-day National Vitamin A Programme.

“We have expected that around 80 per cent of the total targeted children will be covered today and the rest will be done tomorrow,” said Chandra Sharma, chief of the Nepali Technical Assistance Group (NTAG).

“Vitamin A supplement has stopped premature death of around 12,000 children every year.”

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) is planning to provide Vitamin A capsules to around 37 lakh children and de-worming capsules to around 31 lakh children.

The Child Health Division under the MoHP is organising the programme with technical support from the UNICEF and NTAG. The national vitamin A programme is conducted twice a year.

Krishna Prasad Acharya, training management specialist at NTAG, said all the district health offices, health posts, sub-health posts and female health volunteers have been monitored for making the programme a success.

“We will also conduct sample surveys so that those who are left behind will be covered next time,” said Acharya.

Vitamin A capsules are provided to all the children aged six months and five years and de-worming tablets along with vitamin A are given to the children aged one and five years.

The government initiated the programme in 1993. Health surveys show that Vitamin A deficiency is a major problem in Nepal.