Kathmandu, April 7: More than 3 million under 5-year old children are to be given vitamin A capsule in order to eradicate vitamin A deficiency related diseases.

The National Vitamin A Programme is being launched nation wide on 19-20 April in collaboration with Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation and several other donor agencies. 40,200 health workers, volunteers and local women are being mobilised for the purpose.

The government has been conducting the Vitamin A programme for the last couple of years, which has significantly reduced the number of Vitamin A deficiency related diseases, according to the Ministry of Health. Under the National Vitamin A Programme capsules are administered to children twice a year.