National Programme for Prevention of Nutritional Blindness due to Vitamin A Deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency is  a major public health problem among pre-school children in India. The National Programme for prevention  of nutritional blindness due to vitamin A deficiency was launched in 1970 and presently covers 30 million beneficiaries. According to rough estimates, every year thirty  to forty thousand children may become victims of nutritional blindness. (Source : Text Book of Preventive & Social Medicine, B.K.  Mahajan & M.C. Gupta 1991). The programme comprises a long-term and a short-term strategy. The short-term intervention focuses on administration of mega doses of Vitamin A on periodic basis, while long-term emphasises is on dietary  intervention to increase the intake of foods which are rich in Vitamin A. 

Objective : The specific objective of the programme is to reduce the deficiency and prevent blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency. 

Acitivities : A massive dose of Vitamin A is given every 6 months to children between ages of 6 months to 5 years. The scheme gives priority to children between 6 months to 3 years as the highest prevalence of clinical signs of Vitamin A deficiency are reported in this age group. The recommended schedule megadose administration for children is as follows: 

6 - 11 months -one  dose of 1,00,000 I.U. 

1 - 5 years - 2,00,000 I.U. every 6 months. 

A child is expected to receive a total of 10 doses of Vitamin A before his fifth birthday.

The long-term strategy emphasis the improvement of dietary intake of vitamin A through regular consumption of Vitamin A rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables and fruits, dairy products and the promotion of breast feeding.

Infrastructure : The programme is implemented through the existing network of primary health centres and sub-centres. The female multipurpose worker and other paramedics of the primary health centres are responsible for administering Vitamin A concentrates to  children and for imparting nutrition education to mothers. The services of ICDS functionaries are utilised for the implementation of the programme.