Five years and below to take Vitamin A supplement

Staff Writer | Friday May 14, 2010 00:00

Public relations officer, Temba Sibanda said yesterday, the campaign which started at the beginning of this month, will end on May 31. He said the aim of the campaign is to supplement children's intake of nutrients with vitamin A as well as to raise awareness on the importance of vitamin A supplement.

'It is therefore important to supplement children's bodies with vitamin A supplement because 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,' he said.

Sibanda said the campaigns are conducted twice a year and the second phase of the exercise will be conducted during the month of November.

He explained that vitamin A is a micronutrient that is found in plant foods such as yellow and orange fruits, vegetables, and animal foods such as chicken, beef, egg yolk, fish oil, liver, milk and milk products. He said that during the early years of their life, children's growth and development is rapid and their nutritional needs may not be adequately met from the amount of foods given.