Microsoft Word - AMICS-29Jan2013 - Childinfo.org

For countries with Vitamin A deficiency problems, current international recommendations call
for high-dose Vitamin A supplementation every four to six months, targeted at all children
between the ages of 6-59 months living in affected areas. Providing young children with two
high-dose Vitamin A capsules a year is a safe, cost-effective, efficient strategy for eliminating
Vitamin A deficiency and improving child survival. Giving Vitamin A to new mothers who are
breastfeeding helps protect their children during the first months of life and helps to replenish
the mother's stores of Vitamin A, which are depleted during pregnancy and lactation. For
countries with Vitamin A supplementation programs, the definition of the indicator is the
percentage of children 6-59 months of age receiving at least one high dose Vitamin A
supplement in the previous six months period.
Based on UNICEF/WHO guidelines, the Afghan Ministry of Health s recommendation is that
children aged 6-11 months are given one high dose Vitamin A capsule and children aged 12-59
months are given one high dose Vitamin A capsule every six months. In some parts of the
country, Vitamin A capsules are linked to immunization services and are given when the child
has contact with these services after six months of age. It is also recommended that mothers
take a Vitamin A supplement within eight weeks of giving birth due to mothers increased
Vitamin A requirements during pregnancy and lactation.
Table 5.9: Children's Vitamin A supplementation
Percent distribution of children age 6-59 months by receipt of a high dose Vitamin A supplement in the last 6
months, Afghanistan, 2010-2011
Percentage who received Vitamin A
according to:
Child health
book/card/vaccination card
Mother's
report
Percentage of children
who received Vitamin
A during the last 6
months 1
Number of
children
age 6-59
months
Sex
Male 0.6 51.0 51.1 7,043
Female 0.6 50.0 50.1 6,627
Region
Central 0.4 75.7 75.8 2,026
Central Highlands 1.2 53.2 53.3 471
East 0.8 48.4 49.0 1,553
North 0.3 54.4 54.5 1,901
North East 1.7 59.1 59.3 2,230
South 0.0 19.3 19.3 1,727
South East 0.2 52.7 52.8 2,085
West 0.3 34.5 34.7 1,676
Residence
Urban 0.6 63.7 63.9 2,150
Rural 0.6 48.0 48.1 11,520
Age
6-11 months 1.4 40.3 41.0 1,042
12-23 months 2.1 50.0 50.3 2,497
24-35 months 0.3 51.7 51.8 3,220
36-47 months 0.1 52.2 52.2 3,438
48-59 months 0.1 51.0 51.1 3,474
Mother s education
None 0.6 49.4 49.5 12,494
Primary 0.3 60.0 60.3 619
Secondary + 0.6 65.6 65.6 550
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