Half of Indonesia's under-fives lack Vitamin A

Half of Indonesia's under-fives lack Vitamin A

Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Up to 10 million children, or half of the country's total of
20.8 million children under five, suffer from vitamin A
deficiency, making them vulnerable to blindness and infection-
related death.

Most children with vitamin A deficiency live in areas with
high levels of poverty, in refugee camps, or in regions with a
scarcity of food resources containing vitamin A.

"Children are more likely to suffer from vitamin A deficiency
if they are malnourished or if their parents forbid them to
consume protein-rich food like fish or eggs," Minister of Health
Achmad Sujudi said here over the weekend.

In order to address the problem, the government would provide
free vitamin A supplements in community health centers
(Puskesmas) and infant health centers (Posyandu) in the areas
concerned in February and August.

Vitamin A is found in all animal liver, eggs, meat and milk
products containing milk fat. In addition, green leafy
vegetables, and many yellow and red fruits contain substances
that can be converted into vitamin A in the body.

Sujudi said that vitamin A deficiency in the early stages gave
rise to symptoms like dry and rough skin, reddish hair, and
vision impairments.

"Children soon die because they are less able to resist
infection due to decreased immunity," he said.

Vitamin A deficiency would also impair the ability of the
white blood cells to fight infections such as measles, diarrhea,
tuberculosis and pneumonia, as well the body's ability to fend
off intestinal worms.

Vitamin A deficiency had several early warning signs and
symptoms, including night blindness, meaning that children could
not see in dim light and frequently stumbled into things.

Sujudi said that some 60,000 children with vitamin A
deficiency were displaying Bitot's spots, a condition in which
the mucous membrane covering the eye (the conjunctiva) became
affected by foamy, whitish patches that diminished sight even in
broad daylight.

Another symptom was dryness, and slight roughness or wrinkles
in the mucous membrane, which was normally moist, smooth and
shiny. Changes in the tear ducts also led to reduced moistness in
the eyes. If the mucous membrane became damaged, a child would be
unable to see properly and could go blind.

Rachmi Untoro, director of community nutrition at the Ministry
of Health, said that the best way to prevent vitamin A deficiency
was through nutrition education promoting the consumption of
vitamin-A-rich food, and the consumption of large dosses of
vitamin A.

She urged mothers to bring their infants and toddlers to
Puskesmas and Posyandu in every district to get free, high-dose
vitamin A supplements in February and August.

"Blindness is a seriously irreversible change. It is therefore
important for us to recognize and treat any symptoms of vitamin A
deficiency," she explained.

Sujudi said children who were already displaying the symptoms
of vitamin A deficiency should take the vitamin A supplement
three times: immediately after deficiency was detected, the next
day, and again after two weeks.

Rachmi said that parents should provide a well-balanced diet
that was rich in protein for their children.