Vitamin Angels would like to recognize Tishcon Corporation for their continued support of our Thrive to Five program. For nearly a decade, Tishcon has partnered with Vitamin Angels to bring vital nutrients to the individuals who need them most. In 2011 alone, Tishcon generously manufactured nearly 3 million children’s chewable multivitamins which are reaching at-risk children in Honduras and are on their way to children in U.S. and around the world. Special thanks as well to Sabinsa for their contribution of bottling and labeling of the multivitamins. Tishcon is also supporting our work through an additional multivitamin grant of nearly 500,000 tablets.
 

According to an article by Time Magazine, the United Nations recently released a disappointing update on progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in regards to maternal health. The new report, released by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, states that “While there have been considerable gains since 2000 on many of the MDG targets, progress has been slowest on the gender equality dimensions of these targets — from improving maternal health and access to decent work to eradicating hunger.” 

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Learn about how Vitamin Angels is committed to helping meet the MDGs>>

According to UNICEF, three months after the devastating floods in Pakistan, 10 million children are still in need of help.  The Pakistan floods affected more people than the 2004 tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the recent earthquake in Pakistan combined.  In some areas almost half of the population is still displaced.  Flood damage to crops and agriculture infrastructure left families with little access to food. An estimated 125,000 Pakistani children will suffer from dangerous levels of malnutrition in the coming year, with child nutrition expected to be a problem in flood-affected areas for a many years to come. 

Even before the devastating flooding hit Pakistan starting last July, the infant mortality rate in the country was one of the highest in South Asia.  Nearly 1 in 10 children die before the age of two, with most deaths resulting from diarrhea, pneumonia or vaccine-preventable diseases, combined with inadequate hygiene, sanitation and feeding practices.  Almost 40% of children under age 5 are underweight and more than ¼ children are born with low birth weight.     

Experts explain that children, especially those under age two, are most vulnerable to the impact of malnutrition, which, in turn, makes them more susceptible to life threatening illnesses. “It is it is critical that nutrition concerns be tackled now, as families in Pakistan try to recover from the flood disaster."

Vitamin Angels' Operation 20/20 program in Pakistan is reaching almost 90,000 children with vitamin A supplements through our partnership with Save the Children.

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Enjoy these new photos of a recent vitamin A distribution in Cote d'Ivoire.   Through Vitamin Angels' partnership with MAP International, we have reached this year to date:

4,375,750 - children and lactating women with vitamin A through Operation 20/20

14,231 - pregnant or lactating women with multivitamins through Thrive to Five

All photos courtesy of MAP International. 

The Vitamin Angels Program Division is in India! We are meeting with stakeholders to explore the potential for a sustainable public-private partnership to increase vitamin A supplementation in priority states.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the world’s vitamin A deficient children are located in India. Although it is a policy of the Government of India to provide universal vitamin A supplementation to children under 5, large segments of the population do not receive this essential micronutrient – including some of the villages we recently visited in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

Dr. Shilpa Bhatte (left), representative of VA in India, visiting the Community Rural Development Program (CRDP) implemented by Jaypee Cement Company in villages throughout Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

CRDP Balwari (preschool) providing education and early childhood development for children ages 3-5 in remote villages of India. Some children were observed to have red hair, poor skin, and other morbidities associated with micronutrient deficiencies.The preschool children were so attentive and engaged in learning! Vitamin Angels hopes to bolster their health and decrease the severity of infectious diseases by providing high dose vitamin A capsules to the village CRDP staff to give to the children twice per year.
 

A report issued by Save the Children International explains that fears over the malnutrition rate among the youngest survivors of Pakistan’s flooding are increasing. Damaging or destroying over 450 health facilities, the floods have limited service in areas where health care was already a challenge.

"With so many families displaced and lacking the means to provide their children sufficient food, the next crisis that children face is nutritional," said Ribka Amsalu, Save the Children’s emergency health advisor. Children in camps and hospitals are showing symptoms of severe acute malnutrition. Threats also include diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria and a lack of maternal and newborn care.

Over the coming days, the organization will establish malnutrition prevention and treatment centers in affected districts. Focus will be put on children under the age of 5 and pregnant and lactating women and counselors will deploy with Save the Children mobile health teams to support women and infants.

While Vitamin Angels is not a relief organization or involved in Save the Children’s disaster relief efforts, Save the Children is one of Vitamin Angels’ distribution partners and with them we have established a long term vitamin A program within Pakistan. We share this update about their relief efforts in Pakistan as a part of our ongoing concern for the worldwide reduction of childhood undernutrition and mortality.   

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