Some religions reject Vitamin A supplement-Halabi

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 1, 2010 00:00

Halabi claimed that some religious groups as well as some elite families spurn this government service preferring to administer the vitamin A supplement themselves, if at all.

She advised such people that the strengths and formulation of over the counter supplements may differ from that recommended for supplementation, leading to difficulty achieving the appropriate dosage.  'Use of supplements or any other drug without health worker advice is strongly discouraged,' she advised.

Halabi said in light of such findings, her department is currently educating the concerned groups about the need to give children vitamin A supplement.  'Our focus is educating different target groups on the benefits of Vitamin A.  Use of persuasive messages always helps individuals adopt the idea,' she said.

Again, she revealed that districts use various approaches within their contexts, including communication through leaders and other influential people within communities which improve compliance. 

She said that in extreme cases where a child's health is in danger the district may engage legal authorities. She explained that parents can also give their consent for the children to be administered vitamin A supplement in preschools and day care centres, as this facility is made available there.

Halabi highlighted the challenges faced during the just ended national vitamin A supplement campaign, which included shortages in resources.

'Available resources were overstretched as a result of the current financial situation,' she said.

However, she reports that the campaign was successful with 'average district coverage, around 50 percentage after the second week.' 

The Ministry of Health has been involved in a month long national campaign to provide children of five years and below with vitamin A supplement to provide their bodies with vitamin A since it promotes their growth and development by strengthening their immune system, prevents death from measles and diarrhoea, reduces severity of illness like measles and diarrhoea, prevents blindness, and helps in the treatment of malnutrition. The second campaign is expected to roll out in November.