Associate Professor Trương Tuyết Mai announces the programme information. — VNA/VNS Photo Thuỳ Giang

HÀ NỘI — The first round of the 2026 vitamin A supplementation campaign for children aged from six to under 60 months will be implemented nationwide, starting in June.

The information was officially declared on Thursday afternoon by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) under the Ministry of Health.

Associate Professor Trương Tuyết Mai, deputy director of the NIN, said vitamin A played an important role in growth, vision and immunity.

Periodic high-dose supplementation is an effective, low-cost preventive measure that helps reduce micronutrient deficiency and supports children’s all-round development.

Among essential micronutrients, vitamin A is particularly important for growth, vision, maintaining epithelial integrity and strengthening children’s immunity.

High-dose vitamin A supplementation for children in the target age group is an effective, safe and low-cost preventive nutritional intervention that brings substantial benefits in preventing vitamin A deficiency and improving child health.

Organising the campaign twice a year ensures that children aged from six months to under 60 months receive supplements at the right time and in the correct doses, thereby helping protect the immune system and supporting holistic child development.

Globally, up to 56 per cent (equivalent to 372 million) of children aged six to 59 months are deficient in at least one of three key micronutrients – iron, zinc or vitamin A – and 69 per cent (equivalent to 1.2 billion) of non-pregnant women of reproductive age are deficient in at least one of three key micronutrients – iron, zinc or folate.

In Việt Nam, according to the latest Nutrition Survey by the NIN, the prevalence of anaemia among children aged 6–59 months is 18.1 per cent, among pregnant women is 25.4 per cent, and among women of reproductive age is 16.2 per cent.

The prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6–59 months is 8.9 per cent; in the northern midland and mountainous region the rate reaches 13.4 per cent. The rate of low vitamin A in breastmilk among breastfeeding mothers is 16.7 per cent.

Associate Professor Mai emphasised that the annual high-dose vitamin A supplementation campaign for children is an important intervention to prevent vitamin A deficiency, help protect eyesight, strengthen immunity and support children’s comprehensive development.

Trịnh Hồng Sơn, director of the Centre for Nutrition Communication and Education under the NIN, said energy deficiencies are easy to detect, whereas micronutrient deficiencies are often silent and hard to spot but can leave lasting consequences for young children.

The Micronutrient Days will take place on June 1-2. The campaign this year targets children aged six to under 60 months and high-risk groups such as children with severe acute malnutrition, measles, acute respiratory infection or prolonged diarrhoea.

Supplements should be given periodically every four to six months as recommended.

The vitamin A used for the campaign is provided by the Vitamin Angels organisation of the United States, as non‑repayable aid channelled through Save the Children in Việt Nam since 2012.

According to the report on the vitamin A supplementation campaign last year, nearly 12 million vitamin A capsules were distributed, including 1,803,123 capsules of 100,000 IU and 10,190,677 capsules of 200,000 IU. — VNS