Supplementation

Long known to reduce child mortality of children over six months of age, newborn vitamin A supplementation (NVAS) is being examined as a means to reduce infant mortality. NVAS involves supplementing infants shortly after birth with a single, large oral dose of VA (50,000 IU). This document guided the work of key partners in Nepal and Bangladesh who were moving forward research evidence on NVAS into programs through the development, testing and evaluation of potential delivery models at country level.

Final Report on research and findings from a Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) Post‐Event Coverage Survey for Mainland Tanzania that occurred in July 2010. The survey used cross‐sectional randomized cluster methodology to obtain and validate national coverage estimates for the June 2010 mass distribution round of VAS and de‐worming. The survey also characterized children missed by the VAS mass distribution round as a basis to plan better strategies to reach them in the future.

Vitamin A deficiency is a serious public health problem among women and children in Cambodia. The 2005 Cambodia Demographic Health Survey reported that only 35% of children aged 6-59 months received vitamin A in the past six months and 27% of women received vitamin A post-partum. This communication strategy for promotion of Vitamin A in Cambodia was developed by the Cambodian Nutrition Working Group.

The purpose of this document is to recommend strategies that can be used to strengthen the long-term sustainability of vitamin A supplementation and de-worming distribution throughout mainland Tanzania. It is presented as an accompanying document that follows on the work and results generated in the Assessment of the National Vitamin A Supplementation and De-worming Program in Tanzania completed in May 2011.

The Childhood Blindness Project operated from 2006 to 2011 in the United Republic of Tanzania (mainland). The program supported the vitamin A supplementation (VAS) and de-worming programs. In 2011, an assessment was completed to review the National Vitamin A Program through June 2011 using a desk review, stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions. The findings and recommendations from this report were used in the design of the accompanying Long-Term Strategy for VAS in Tanzania.

Despite over 50 years of research, nutritional iron deficiency remains the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency disorder worldwide. This paper seeks to identify the key gaps in information that must be filled to move towards consensus on policies and programs to improve iron nutrition. It discusses methods of evaluating the status of a country, evidence of intervention strategies, opportunities for future work.

The Micronutrients Global Toolkit includes a set of tools developed by the A2Z Project and partners to support governments in their efforts to ensure sustainable Vitamin A supplementation and de-worming program delivery mechanisms. It includes chapters on the Child Anemia Reduction Program tool, the Maternal Anemia Reduction Program tool, and food fortification tools.  

This technical brief provides an overview of the literature relating to the cost analysis of micronutrient programs and identifies factors involved in planning and implementing successful programs, focusing on supplementation and fortification. Cost studies can play an important role at the individual country level in helping to identify how and where to improve the efficiency and coverage of programs and thereby make resources “go further” and contribute to the programs becoming more sustainable.