UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Published purpose

Periodic, high-dose vitamin A supplementation of children 6-59 months is a proven, low-cost intervention that has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality by 12 to 24 percent and is an essential programme supporting efforts to reduce child mortality. Global Affairs Canada-funded three-year Vitamin A Supplementation in a New Age (VINA) project (FY2023-2026) aims to reduce mortality in girls and boys under five years at high risk of vitamin A deficiency in fifteen countries across sub-Saharan Africa. Through this project, UNICEF will support more equitable, gender-responsive and efficient delivery of vitamin A supplementation (VAS) by working in partnership with country ministries of health. The VINA project will support increased government ownership and financial sustainability of vitamin A supplementation programs, strengthen delivery systems, and enhance women's and girls' empowerment. The project also addresses systematic gender barriers at a household level that impede access to health services. Overall, UNICEF estimates that this project will reach approximately 41 million children under five in 15 countries with vitamin A supplementation by 2026, focusing on vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.