The Public Health Department has targeted 2.74 lakh children in the age group of six months to 60 months in Coimbatore in its biannual campaign against Vitamin A deficiency. Undertaken in September and March, this campaign was under way from March 23 to 27.
Plan
In Coimbatore, a booth-wise micro plan, outlining the number of villages/hamlets, total population and the children in the target age group, was prepared and distributed to all officials concerned.
S. Somasundaram, Deputy Director of Health Services, told The Hindu that as many as 2,064 immunisation sites were established across the district for this campaign.
“More than 2,000 Health Department personnel such as Village Health Nurses and other staff were deployed for this campaign,” he said.
Vitamin A Deficiency impaired immunity and haematopoiesis and causes rashes and typical ocular effects such as xerophthalmia, night blindness, corneal xerosis and conjunctival xerosis, all of which affect the eye and can cause vision impairment.
The drops were orally administered by the nurses at immunisation sites set up at anganwadi centres, which provide nutritional support to children and pregnant women, and health sub centres in villages.
Children in Government schools were also covered by setting up centres at noon meal centres.
Dosage
While a 1 ml dose was administered to children in the age group of six months to one year, two drops were given to children in the age group of one year to five years.
The date and venue of the camp was displayed in all Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme centres, Panchayat offices, health sub centre buildings and primary health centres (PHC).
This programme was funded by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and implemented by the State Health Societies.
