December 25, 2023, Takeo City – May Ratana, 44, said she would take her four-year-old nephew on the four-kilometre journey to the nearest health center even if health workers were unable to provide support services in the village. Told. Make sure he grows healthy and strong. She knows that if Mony Leach misses important milestones in the early stages of his life, such as strengthening his immune system, his chances of reaching his full potential in the future could be harmed. I know.
“I enjoy taking care of my nephew,” she says. “We have observed that other medical services such as vitamin A and vaccinations are helping his health. He never gets seriously ill.”
Fortunately for her, health workers have come to the village to provide vital medical services such as measuring the child’s height and weight, supplementing with vitamin A and deworming. We also educate communities about what children need in early childhood to support their development, recommending breastfeeding immediately after birth, exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age, and after six months of age. Once your baby is ready, we recommend introducing nutritious and vitamin-rich complementary foods.
“Vitamin A helps children grow stronger, prevents blindness, and keeps their eyes healthy,” says Cong Chi Mony Leach, who takes care of her 4-year-old child during the day, when her parents are usually at work. Ratana explains. “I cook meals such as rice and soup with fish, pork, vegetables and pumpkin. I also learned that ripe yellow fruits such as mangoes, papayas and bananas and breast milk contain vitamins. ”
Although caregivers may be doing their best to feed their children nutritious meals, many families in Cambodia may not be able to afford vitamin-rich foods year-round. Vitamin A supplements are a low-cost solution to vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness and increases the risk of death from common childhood diseases such as measles and diarrhea. Nationwide, it is reported that 64% of children receive vitamin A (MoH-HIS-2023), but the remaining 36% of children aged 6 to 59 months do not receive vitamin A fully throughout the year. I haven’t received it.
Ratana lives in Sei Ma village in O’odham Sorya commune, more than 20 kilometers from Takeo town. She said she learned about the outreach event from a community health volunteer at her local Village Health Support Group (VHSG).
