UNICEF supplies vitamin A for next week’s nationwide campaign after government misses procurement deadline
Summary
UNICEF has supplied vitamin A supplements for Nepal's nationwide campaign starting April 19 after the government missed procurement deadlines. The campaign targets millions of children under five to prevent deficiency-related diseases.
Key Points
- The Ministry of Health and Population failed to procure vitamin A supplements on time, leading UNICEF to supply 2.5 million doses for the upcoming nationwide campaign.
- The vitamin A supplementation campaign will cover around 2.3 million children aged six months to five years, alongside deworming tablets for two million children.
- Regular vitamin A supplementation has significantly reduced vitamin A deficiency and related child mortality in Nepal over the past two decades.
- The budget for purchasing essential health supplies including vitamin A supplements is less than half the required amount for the next fiscal year.
