Define Supplementation for prevention of vitamin A deficiency?
Administration of large doses of vitamin A to children at risk has been the most popular approach to control nutritional blindness. Extensive field trials carried out by NIN, Hyderabad have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach. There are Several vitamin A supplementation programme on a national scale, as early as in 1970. The programme is now in operation in all the States in the country, targeted to about 30 million preschool children. Under this programme, sponsored by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, one teaspoonful of oil-miscible vitamin A syrup containing 200,000 IU of vitamin A is given once every 6 months to children between the ages of 9-36 months. The programme is implemented through the sub-centre - primary health centre complex of the Slates. Paramedical personnel (ANM/MPHW), under the supervision of the PHC Medical Officer, carry out the actual distribution of vitamin A.