The govt should begin an awareness campaign to fight against vitamin D deficiency, which is especially prevalent among women and children

Vitamin D deficiency is now becoming a serious health concern, especially among women and children, due to the changing lifestyle, consumption of junk food, malnutrition, genetic disorder and working indoors for longer hours. Until a few years ago, it did not figure as a major health problem as people were not aware of the symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency. Two separate studies, one conducted by Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and the other by Chitwan Medical College (CMC), Bharatpur, have revealed that over 74 per cent of the patients, mainly women, children and adolescents, visiting the OPD were suffering from vitamin D deficiency. Four out of five persons visiting public hospitals for treatment are diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, which causes osteomalacia – the softening and weakening of the bones. Doctors say the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is a result of inadequate exposure to the sun, which results in the development of osteoporosis, eventually leading to rickets. Bow-legged children are one result of vitamin D deficiency.

The study conducted by TUTH revealed that out of a total of 182 OPD patients (106 males and 76 females), who visited the hospital between September 2014 and December 2015, 81 per cent of them had vitamin D deficiency, while the CMC found that 74 per cent of the 108 children visiting its OPD had vitamin D deficiency. Both the studies revealed that over 95 per cent females, who visited the hospitals, showed this deficiency. Doctors say females are more prone to vitamin D deficiency because of low intake of nutritious food and lack of estrogen hormone when they reach the age of menopause. They are at high risk of suffering from weakening of the bones. Vitamin D is also deficient among kidney and liver patients. The kidney and liver help in absorbing vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency increases when both the organs cease to function properly. Vitamin D deficiency also increases among those people who quite often use sunscreens that prevent vitamin D absorption.

Vitamin D deficiency results in weakening of muscles, abnormal contraction, muscle cramps and pain in the bones. There are also high risks of bone fractures. Vitamin D is essential for bone density growth to enhance immunity and to fight pneumonia. It also helps in maintaining bone health by regulating calcium concentration in the body. Vitamin D deficiency is caused by inadequate exposure to the sun for a longer time and when the sunlight does not penetrate the urban houses in the morning when it is very essential for stimulating the body. People, especially women and children, should avoid consuming junk food and instead eat nutritious food. Supplements of vitamin D, fish, milk and milk products and egg yolk help supply adequate amounts of vitamin D in the body. One should sit in the morning sun with the legs exposed for at least two hours to minimise the risk of the disease. The government should start an awareness campaign to fight against vitamin D deficiency. People need to change their food habits and engage in physical activities for a few hours in the open so that they get exposed to enough sunlight.

NEA’s surging profit

Nepal Electricity Authority’s Managing Director Kul Man Ghising deserves a pat on the back for pulling the government entity out of the red. The state power utility earned a profit of Rs 7.20 billion last fiscal year, an increase of 148 per cent over the previous year. This is the third year in a row that the company has generated a profit since Ghising took charge in 2015-16. Some of the reforms he initiated have cut down on the technical and administration expenses, reduced the price of imported and domestic power, and made perennial load-shedding a thing of the past.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is now planning to cut the leakage to around 10 per cent, the South Asian average, this fiscal from the current 15.32 per cent. It makes little sense to generate new power when so much power goes to waste due to leakage in the distribution, transmission and generation systems. Nepal is still dependent on India for the bulk of the 7.55 billion units consumed in the country. Hopefully, NEA will be able to reverse the trend with Nepal having exported 35 million units of power through various transmission lines following the new power trade agreement with India last year.