Why tackle vitamin A deficiency?
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) dramatically increases the risk of dying from childhood diseases and malaria, and may contribute to maternal mortality, fetal loss, low birth-weight and preterm birth. WHO estimates that 1.4 percent of all deaths worldwide (0.8 million) are due to VAD. Of the 200,000 under-five deaths due to vitamin A deficiency, most occur in children with mild to moderate VAD. At least four independent meta-analyses of the studies showing vitamin A’s link with child mortality all unequivocally conclude that improving vitamin A status in deficient populations would decrease pre-school child mortality. One meta-analysis of six studies found that giving vitamin A to preschool children reduced under-five mortality by 34%. Another meta-analysis of eight studies in five developing countries found that giving vitamin A to preschool children twice yearly reduced underfive mortality by 23%. The potential gain from giving vitamin A increases if child mortality is higher. VAD also cau
