Over 1 million children in Iran benefit from Vitamin A supplements

In an effort to improve child nutrition, UNICEF supported the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) to provide mega-dose vitamin A supplements to children in need. This programme, funded by the European Union (EU), benefited 1,082,500 children, including refugee and vulnerable children two to five years old, in 33 medical universities in 15 provinces in the first six months of 2023.

Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness and increases the risk of death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea. Periodic, high-dose vitamin A supplementation is a proven, low-cost intervention and is an essential programme in supporting efforts to reduce health issues and child mortality.

Thanks to donations from the EU, UNICEF also supported MoHME in establishing a food and nutrition surveillance system in 2022. This system provided valuable insights into the food security and nutritional status of children under five in eight food-insecure provinces. The results of this surveillance system have been crucial in informing the planning of high-impact interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition in these provinces.

The collaboration between UNICEF and MoHME underscores the shared commitment to improving child nutrition and well-being in Iran. By providing essential vitamin A supplements and establishing a robust surveillance system, UNICEF and its partners are making significant strides towards a healthier future for children in the country.