The launch of the "Vitamin A Month" was held in Sorong and was attended by Second Lady Wury Amin and other members of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet's Organization for Solidarity Actions (OASE-KIM) as well as acting governor of Southwest Papua, Mohammad Musa'ad.
"Through the launching of the Vitamin A Month, we ensure that babies and toddlers in Southwest Papua can receive the vitamin, and none of them will have a deficiency of Vitamin A," Tri said.
She informed that PKK has devised the program to help the government in administering Vitamin A supplements to children in Indonesia.
"Our program aligns with the government on how to build and maximize infants and toddlers' health quality by not letting them lack vitamins," she said.
She added that the PKK team is the government's partner in running strategic programs, including vitamin supplement provision to children.
The Vitamin A capsules are free and can be obtained at integrated health posts (posyandu), local health centers, and other government health facilities.
Deficiency in Vitamin A can contribute to vision problems and can even cause blindness. It can also make children vulnerable to infections and diseases.
The provision of Vitamin A to toddlers is also a routine program of the Health Ministry to meet the micronutrient needs of babies and toddlers.
Sources of Vitamin A include green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, carrots, fruits, beef liver, fish oil, and eggs.
According to the 2021 National Nutritional Status Survey, only 5 out of 10 babies and toddlers in Indonesia consume diverse nutritional foods. Therefore, the government is striving to solve the issue of vitamin deficiency by providing free Vitamin A capsules.
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Translator: Yuvensius B, Kenzu
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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