programmes

Vit A deficiency programmes

• The National Prophylaxis Programme

against Nutritional Blindness due to
Vitamin A Deficiency (NPPNB due to VAD)
was initiated in 1970 with the specific aim
of preventing nutritional blindness due to
VAD.The Programme was started as a
100 per cent centrally sponsored
programme.
• In 1970 National Prophylaxis Programme
Against Nutritional Blindness was initiated
as a centrally sponsored scheme. Under
this scheme, all children between ages of
one and three years were to be
administered 200,000 IU of Vitamin A
orally once in six months.
• In the fifties and sixties many of the states reported that
blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency was one of the major
causes of blindness in children below five years. A five-year
long field trial conducted by NIN showed that if massive dose
Vitamin A (200,000 units) was administered once in six
months to children between one and three years of age, the
incidence of corneal xerophthalmia is reduced by about 80
per cent. In view of the serious nature of the problem of
blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency, it was felt that urgent
remedial measures in the form of massive dose Vitamin A
supplementation covering the entire population of susceptible
children should be undertaken.
 aim
• Aim: to decrease the prevalence of
Vitamin A deficiency.
 OBJECTIVES
• Prevention of vitamin A deficiency:
1. Promoting consumption of Vitamin A rich food
2. Creating awareness about the importance of
preventing Vitamin A deficiency
3. Prophylactic Vitamin A as per the following dosage
schedule:
• 100000 IU at 9 months with measles immunization

• 200000 IU at 16-18 months, with DPT booster

• 200000 IU every 6 months, up to the age of 5 years.

• thus, a total of 9 mega doses are to be given from 9 months of age

up to 5 years.
 CONT...
• Treatment of Vitamin A deficient children:
1. All children with xerophthalmia are to be
treated at health facilities.
2. All children having measles, to be given 1
dose of Vitamin A if they have not
received it in the previous month.
3. All cases of severe malnutrition to be
given one additional dose of Vitamin A.
 activities
• elimination of blindness
• reducing severe forms of deficiency resulting in
blindness and combining it to children below 3 years.
• providing adequate diet and maintaining vit A
supplementary programmes
• targeting diseases such as cataract, refractive error,
childhood blindness, glaucoma and diabetic
retinopathy.
 achievements
• development of human resources as well
as infrastructure and technology at various
levels of health system
• the proposed 4 tier structure includes 20
centres of excellence, 200 training centres,
200 service centres and 2000 vission
centres.