title: Rapid assessment and delivery of Vitamin A to slum children by using National Immunization Day in Chandigarh.
abstract: This study was done with the objective to see the feasibility of using National Immunization Days (NIDs) for rapid assessment, and delivery of Vitamin A solution to about 27,600 children dwelling in 26 slums in Union Territory of Chandigarh. The assessment of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was done in a stratified random sample of 1304 children during third round of Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) and delivery of Vitamin A solution was done during fourth round of IPPI in 1999-2000 covering 27,642 children in the age group of 1-5 years. An additional team of two persons per centre delivered age specific doses of Vitamin A solution through 72 centres and operational problems were recorded. IPPI staff provided supervision and same tally sheets as of IPPI were used. The prevalence rate of VAD was 24.6%, with conjunctival xerosis, bitot's spot and corneal xerosis as 23.7%, 0.6% and 0.2% respectively. 27,275 (98.7%) children out of 27,642 were administered Vitamin A solution, with no major operational problem. Only five parents (0.01%) refused Vitamin A solution. No case of side effect or toxicity due to Vitamin-A was reported. The strategy to assess and deliver Vitamin A during NID's was found to be feasible and successful and could be a basis for launching similar initiatives in other areas of India and other countries where VAD is a public health problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh-160047, India.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Swami
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahuja
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000379:methods; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A