Health Department is all set to observe 'Bal Poshan Mah' from December 1, to protect pre-school children from partial or total blindness, measles and other infections caused due to Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). An estimated 1.50 lakh children upto three years of age will be given Vitamin A supplements during the Bal Poshan Mah.
The Aganwadi workers will prepare a list of all the children in the age group of nine months to three years in their areas and hand it over to the ANMs, who will later give supplementary doses of Vitamin A to these children. The child development project office (CDPOs) will monitor the programme and also identify all the 'left-out' children. This will be the second phase of Bal Poshan Mah in the district.
Chief medical officer Dr Shantimal Singhavi said it was the government's programme to increase immunity of children by giving supplementary doses of Vitamin A. The Vitamin A deficiency leads to an increase in the severity of infections in children, particularly measles and diarrhoeal diseases. This leads to child morbidity and high mortality.
"The VAD also causes eye damage in pre-school children. Slowly the children with VAD becomes partially or totally blind and some of them also die due to blindness," he informed.
{{/usCountry}}"The VAD also causes eye damage in pre-school children. Slowly the children with VAD becomes partially or totally blind and some of them also die due to blindness," he informed.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Singhavi said that in order to reduce deaths due to diarrhoea and measles, the Bal Poshan Mah is observed after every six months, to give supplementary doses to the children. In the district about 1.50 lakh children were identified in the first phase for administering the doses. At least six doses of Vitamin A should be given to every child, to build their immunity. "The first dose is given in nine months, second in one-and-a-half year, third in two years, fourth in two-and-a-half year, fifth in three years and sixth in three-and-a-half years," he added.
Dr Singhavi also reviewed the preparations of Bal Poshan Mah, on Monday. He said Head of Department of Social and Preventive Medicine will also monitor the Bal Poshan Mah in the district. "The duties and responsibilities of Aganwadi workers, ANMs and CDPOs have been clearly defined, so that there is no confusion during the programme," he said.