02/06/2011
(VOV) - The Ministry of Health has chosen June 1-2 as annual Micronutrition Day to deal with health problems related to vitamin A and iodine deficiency and anaemia in mothers and children.
Vietnam aims to reduce malnutrition rates among underweight children to 10 percent by 2015 and the number of malnourished children (height for age) to 20-30 percent.
A Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reporter interviewed Trinh Quan Huan, Deputy Minister of Health on the issue.
Reporter: Could you please tell us about the current micro-nutrition situation in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: Micronutrition plays an important role in ensuring human health and growth.
Micronutrient deficiency has become rather popular due to limited economic status and food rations.
The high rate of nutritional anaemia, especially in pregnant women (30 percent) can cause maternal deaths and adversely affect the development of foetus.
Vitamin A deficiency in children is very prevalent in remote and mountainous areas.
10 percent of the total children in the country suffer from vitamin A deficiency while there are inadequate supplies of iodine in some disadvantaged areas.
Reporter: What measures has the Ministry of Health taken to improve the micronutrition situation in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: The Ministry of Health plans to improve the micronutrition situation in the country with a main focus on pregnant women and children.
Many practical measures to ensure sufficient supplies of vitamin A and iodine for the community have helped reduce mortality rates in pregnant women and children and improve child physical and metal strength.
Pregnant women are provided with iron and multi micronutrient pills during their pregnancy, and children are periodically taken high doses of Vitamin A or lumbricide.
Reporter: What is your assessment of child malnutrition in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: There have been significant achievements in preventing child malnutrition over the past ten years with malnutrition rates among underweight children drastically dropping from 36.7 percent in 1999 to 18.9 percent in 2009, and to 17.5 percent for the time being (two years earlier than the set target).
However, the number of malnourished children (height for age) remains high, accounting for 31.9 percent of children under five and the similar situation exists in all parts of the country.
Malnutrition (weight-for-height) closely related to mortality and incidence rates requires careful attention and care from families and society.
Chronic malnutrition often results in long-term physical consequences for children, causing other problems such as obesity, diabetes, and other infectious diseases later in life.
Reporter: What should the Ministry of Health do to reduce the number of malnourished children?
Mr Huan: Priority will be given to reducing child malnutrition rates in the 2011-2020 nutrition plan by sufficiently providing pregnant women with micronutrients or iron pills during their pregnancy and children with nutritional care and lumbricide as well as promoting community-based communications in remote and mountainous areas.
The Ministry of Health has set a target of reducing malnutrition rates among underweight children to 10 percent by 2015 and to 8 percent by 2020 and the number of malnourished children (height for age) to 20-30 percent.
Reporter: Thank you very much.
http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/How-to-ensure-micronutrients-for-children/20116/127144.vov
(VOV) - The Ministry of Health has chosen June 1-2 as annual Micronutrition Day to deal with health problems related to vitamin A and iodine deficiency and anaemia in mothers and children.
Vietnam aims to reduce malnutrition rates among underweight children to 10 percent by 2015 and the number of malnourished children (height for age) to 20-30 percent.
A Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reporter interviewed Trinh Quan Huan, Deputy Minister of Health on the issue.
Reporter: Could you please tell us about the current micro-nutrition situation in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: Micronutrition plays an important role in ensuring human health and growth.
Micronutrient deficiency has become rather popular due to limited economic status and food rations.
The high rate of nutritional anaemia, especially in pregnant women (30 percent) can cause maternal deaths and adversely affect the development of foetus.
Vitamin A deficiency in children is very prevalent in remote and mountainous areas.
10 percent of the total children in the country suffer from vitamin A deficiency while there are inadequate supplies of iodine in some disadvantaged areas.
Reporter: What measures has the Ministry of Health taken to improve the micronutrition situation in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: The Ministry of Health plans to improve the micronutrition situation in the country with a main focus on pregnant women and children.
Many practical measures to ensure sufficient supplies of vitamin A and iodine for the community have helped reduce mortality rates in pregnant women and children and improve child physical and metal strength.
Pregnant women are provided with iron and multi micronutrient pills during their pregnancy, and children are periodically taken high doses of Vitamin A or lumbricide.
Reporter: What is your assessment of child malnutrition in Vietnam?
Mr Huan: There have been significant achievements in preventing child malnutrition over the past ten years with malnutrition rates among underweight children drastically dropping from 36.7 percent in 1999 to 18.9 percent in 2009, and to 17.5 percent for the time being (two years earlier than the set target).
However, the number of malnourished children (height for age) remains high, accounting for 31.9 percent of children under five and the similar situation exists in all parts of the country.
Malnutrition (weight-for-height) closely related to mortality and incidence rates requires careful attention and care from families and society.
Chronic malnutrition often results in long-term physical consequences for children, causing other problems such as obesity, diabetes, and other infectious diseases later in life.
Reporter: What should the Ministry of Health do to reduce the number of malnourished children?
Mr Huan: Priority will be given to reducing child malnutrition rates in the 2011-2020 nutrition plan by sufficiently providing pregnant women with micronutrients or iron pills during their pregnancy and children with nutritional care and lumbricide as well as promoting community-based communications in remote and mountainous areas.
The Ministry of Health has set a target of reducing malnutrition rates among underweight children to 10 percent by 2015 and to 8 percent by 2020 and the number of malnourished children (height for age) to 20-30 percent.
Reporter: Thank you very much.
http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/How-to-ensure-micronutrients-for-children/20116/127144.vov
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