Providing vitamin A to children remains important: Pediatrician

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A pediatrician at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Dr. Himawan Aulia Rahman has reminded the public of the importance of providing vitamin A to children during the pandemic.

"Why is it important? Because vitamin A deficiency is quite high in developing countries, such as Indonesia. Vitamin A deficiency happens among 30 percent of children under the age of 5 throughout the world," Rahman told ANTARA on Monday.

Rahman noted that vitamin A is very important for our eyes to prevent Xeropththalmia disease and is not produced by our bodies.

In addition, consuming vitamin A is important for cells that play a role in the development of our body.

Rahman said that vitamin A deficiency causes blindness in 500,000 pre-school children throughout the world each year.

"There is a research that shows routinely providing vitamin A for children in vitamin A deficiency endemic regions could reduce the number of deaths from five to 15 percent," noted Rahman.

However, Rahman added that over-consumption of vitamin A is not recommended since it can result in poisoning.

For children who are exposed to COVID-19, vitamin A still has to be given. Parents can request vitamin A capsules in the nearest public health facilities, which then can be given to their children at home.

However, Rahman said it remains important to check the condition of both children and parents first.

"If the parents are also infected with COVID, then the rest of the family need to self-isolate. The vitamin A provision can be delayed until the isolation is over," he said.

Nonetheless, Rahman underlined that this delay can not last for too long. Providing vitamin A has to be done within a month.