860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency

Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Unless urgent steps are taken to prevent and control deficiency of
Vitamin A, 860,000 children will die in the next 10 years.

This means that 240 children will die per day, Commissioner for Health,
Leke Pitan, has said.

The commissioner made the remarks while speaking at the grand finale of
the Micronutrient Week organised by the Ministry of Health in Lagos.
Speaking through Dr. Kumbi Layenu Adeyemo, a consultant in the
ministry, Pitan disclosed that iron deficiency affects 28 per cent of
Nigerian women of reproductive age while as much as 34 per cent are
affected in some regions. He added that profiles analysis shows that if
no action is taken, about 64,480 Nigerian mothers will die in the next
10 years since they are anemic. The figure, he observed, represents 18
maternal deaths per day for the next 10 years.

Pitan said micronutrient malnutrition is a serious threat to the health
and productivity of more than two billion people worldwide. He added
that because of the high prevalence and close association with
childhood illness and mortality, three micronutrient deficiencies of
health significance namely iron; Vitamin A and iodine need urgent
intervention.

He said women and children are more vulnerable to micronutrient
deficiencies because of their requirement for reproduction and growth.
Iron deficiency, he pointed out, renders the child inattentive and
uninterested in the acts of living and learning, adding that iron
deficiency is a serious cause of ill health. The World Health
Organisation Global Burden of Disease Report, he asserted, ranks iron
deficiency as the second among leading causes of disability.

Red meat, the commissioner emphasised, is the best source of highly
absorbable iron but largely unaffordable to many. He added that the
absorption of iron from grains, legumes and vegetables could be
significantly increased three to seven fold if such foods are consumed
with foods riched in Vitamin C. Iron deficiency, Pitan stated, is the
cause of most preventable mental retardation and brain damage.
"Consequences of iodine deficiency have been reported as impaired
growth development and intellectual capacity, reproductive problems in
women, increased fetal deaths and still births, retardation in
neurological development, impaired coordination, lethargy etc," he
stressed.

The commissioner revealed that though Nigeria has succeeded in
achieving 98 per cent iodization, sustained effort is required to curb
the problem. He added that investing programmes such as Micronutrient
Week is crucial to protecting the millions of people, particularly
children and women who are still at risk of impaired development, and
physical deformities, etc, among others.

He stated that apart from salt fortification, seafoods such as
crayfish, shrimps, crab and oysters are sources of iodine, adding that
night blindness and exophthalmia related cornea scars are some of
ailments resulting for deficiency of the nutrient.

Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

PeterB

PeterB wrote:
Roman Bystrianyk wrote:

Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm


Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

It was well said and needed no comment.

I see that Jan is training you well.

Mark Probert wrote:
PeterB wrote:
Roman Bystrianyk wrote:

Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm


Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

It was well said and needed no comment.

It never stops you.

I see that Jan is training you well.

Not likely. I miss the toilet bowl like clockwork.

PeterB

"PeterB" wrote in message
oups.com...

Mark Probert wrote:
PeterB wrote:
Roman Bystrianyk wrote:

Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm


Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

It was well said and needed no comment.

It never stops you.

I see that Jan is training you well.

Not likely. I miss the toilet bowl like clockwork.

PeterB

DI DI DI DID you have to say that?!?!

You must have been listening in at the Drew household today, long about
12:00 noon!

Just told hubby to read this post!

He is:

ROTFLOL!!!

"PeterB" wrote:


Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

PeterB

You would be wrong.

Are you against the distribution of Golden Rice, the
genetically-modified form of rice that would provide Vitamin A to the
very large proportion of the world's population who get their calories
from rice? I'm not, but many alties seem to think that GM food is the
work of Satan.
--
Peter Bowditch aa #2243
The Millenium Project http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles
Australian Council Against Health Fraud http://www.acahf.org.au
Australian Skeptics http://www.skeptics.com.au
To email me use my first name only at ratbags.com

In article .com,
PeterB wrote:

Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

What exactly were you thinking should be said about it?

-- David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net
These are my opinions only, but they're almost always correct.
"If you can't say something nice, then sit next to me."
-- Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Peter Bowditch wrote:
"PeterB" wrote:


Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

PeterB

You would be wrong.

Thanks for confessing.

Are you against the distribution of Golden Rice, the
genetically-modified form of rice that would provide Vitamin A to the
very large proportion of the world's population who get their calories
from rice? I'm not, but many alties seem to think that GM food is the
work of Satan.

GM is an extremely dangerous agricultural experiment. We can't know
the consequences of wild-strain mutations of these organisms that are
impacting the human (and animal) food chain. We do know that GMO
contaminates non-GMO agriculture and threatens the viability of organic
farming. The real impetus behind GMO technology is commoditization of
agriculture at the genetic level for the purpose of increasing
corporate profits, whereas the potential short-term benefits (if there
are any) are nothing more than pre-packaged justification. Yes, I'm
opposed to sinking my ship to get a drink of water.

PeterB

David Wright wrote:
In article .com,
PeterB wrote:

Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

What exactly were you thinking should be said about it?

Sorry, I can't think for other people. It's against my religion.

David Wright wrote:
In article .com,
PeterB wrote:

Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
Emmanuel Ukudolo, "860,000 children to die from Vitamin A deficiency",
Daily Independent, Nigeria, November 1, 2005,
Link: http://www.independentng.com/news/nnnov010521.htm

Vitamin A is crucial for reducing death in cases of infectious disease
in children. Our resident pharma bloggers will likely have little or
nothing to say about a health article that doesn't also promote
vaccine. Sad, that.

What exactly were you thinking should be said about it?

Sorry, I can't think for other people. It's against my religion.