Why Vitamin A?

For four years running I have received a grant from Vitamin Angels.  This allows me to be able to give vitamins free to children five and under.  Along with that, this year Vitamin Angels provided me with Vitamin A.

So why Vitamin A?!  Vitamin A deficiency leads to visual problems including complete blindness.  250,000 - 500,000 malnourished children in developing countries go blind each year.  Approximately 1/2 of those children die within a year of becoming blind.  

Vitamin A deficiency effects 1/3 of children under the age of 5.  It is estimated to claim the lives of 670,000 children under 5 annually.

Vitamin A also decreases the ability to fight infections, increases children's risk of developing respiratory and diarrheal infections, decreased growth rate, slow bone development, and a decreased likelihood of survival from serious illness.  

So THAT's why Vitamin A.  I have a system in place in my clinic to track the kiddos who receive Vitamin A every 6 months.  I am excited about this new addition of Vitamin A to my clinic.

This is little 10 month old Marcelo who came to clinic today for daily Vitamins and Vitamin A.