Micronutrient supplementation and child survival in India

Abstract

India contributes to a large number and proportion of child deaths, both due to higher under five mortality rate and large child population cohort in the country. The micronutrient malnutrition is an ignored area as it is not a direct cause of child mortality but a contributory factor in many deaths. The repeated surveys and studies have noted that iron deficiency anemia, vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency are highly prevalent amongst the children in the country and the preventive interventions are reaching only small proportion of 10-50% of the targeted populations. The contribution of these micronutrients (Iron, Vitamin A, Iodine and Zinc) towards child survival depends upon number of factors that are responsible for child mortality, and these situations vary from region to region, time to time and depend upon number of other socio demographic characteristics of the population. This paper discusses that although there may be debate on the role of some micronutrients in reducing childhood mortality, there is no doubt that these micronutrients are needed in small amount for overall child development. These micronutrients, both directly and indirectly, contribute to the child survival and should reach to each and every child in the country and the strategy is proven cost effective.