Vitamin A Supplementation

MICS3 Data Analysis and Report Writing

Background

• It is estimated that 100-140 million children under five may be affected by vitamin A deficiency

• Vitamin A is essential for the functioning of the immune system. It reduces their risk of blindness, enhances their chances of survival, and reduces severity of childhood illnesses.

• Supplementing children aged six months to five years with two high-dose vitamin A capsules a year has been identified as a safe, cost-effective, efficient strategy for ending vitamin A deficiency.

International Goals & Targets

Virtual elimination of vitamin A

deficiency (VAD) and its consequences,

including blindness

Definition of Indicator

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate% children aged 6-59 months

receiving at least one high dose vitamin A supplement in the last 6 months

Numerator: Number of children aged 6-59 months receiving at least one high dose vitamin A supplement in the 6 months priorto the survey

Denominator: Number of children aged 6-59 months surveyed

Methodological Issues

• Survey data tend to be underreported

Possible reasons:- Timing: data collection precedes campaign- Recall error- Mothers’ don’t know if infant received supplement- Not recorded on child health card

• Proxy measure of recommended 2 doses per year

Tabulation PlanTable NU.6: Vitamin A Supplementation

Regional Data

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

73 6860 58 61

0

20

40

60

80

100

East A

sia/P

acifi

c (e

xcl.

China)

East/S

outh

ern A

frica

West

/Cen

tral A

frica

South A

sia

Devel

oping

countri

es (e

xcl.

China)

% c

hild

ren

ag

ed

6-5

9 m

on

ths

re

ce

ivin

g

at

lea

st

on

e h

igh

do

se

vit

am

in A

su

pp

lem

en

t

Vitamin A Supplementation (CEE/CIS)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

Uzbekistan = 93% (2003)

Vitamin A Supplementation (ROSA)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

58

96 9587 86

45

0

20

40

60

80

100

South Asia Nepal Pakistan Bangladesh Afghanistan India

% children aged 6-59 months receiving at least one high dose Vitamin A supplement in the last 6 months

Vitamin A Supplementation (TACRO)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

91

40 38 3525

0

20

40

60

80

100

Nicaragua DominicanRepublic

Bolivia Honduras Haiti% c

hild

ren

ag

ed 6

-59

mo

nth

s re

ceiv

ing

at

leas

t o

ne

hig

h d

ose

Vit

amin

A s

up

ple

men

t

Vitamin A Supplementation (MENA)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

Djibouti = 75% (2003)

Sudan = 34% (2003)

Yemen = 36% (2003)

Vitamin A Supplementation (EAPRO)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

99 95 95 9587 87

7664 62

47 45

23

1

73

0

20

40

60

80

100

% c

hild

ren

aged

6-5

9 m

onth

s re

ceiv

ing

at

leas

t one

hig

h do

se V

itam

in A

sup

plem

ent

Vitamin A Supplementation (ESARO)

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

68

33

4650

52

6568

7375

80

8691

91

9293

95

0 20 40 60 80 100

East/Southern Africa

KenyaZimbabwe

Mozambique

EritreaEthiopia

Angola

ZambiaLesotho

SwazilandRwanda

Madagascar

TanzaniaMalawi

Namibia

Burundi

% children aged 6-59 months receiving at least one high dose Vitamin A supplement

Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage Rate

60

27

30

61

78

80

84

84

84

86

89

91

95

95

98

98

0 20 40 60 80 100

West/Central Africa

Nigeria

Gabon

Mali

Ghana

Congo, Dem Rep

CAR

Sierra Leone

Togo

Cameroon

Congo

Gambia

Burkina Faso

Niger

Benin

Guinea

% children aged 6-59 months receiving at least one high dose Vitamin A supplement

Vitamin A Supplementation (WCARO)