The drops will be administered in all the primary health centres, maternity hospitals and Integrated Child Development Services centres from 8 am to 3 pm. “Blindness can occur due to various factors, one of which is Vitamin A deficiency. Through the programme, the children are provided 2 ml of Vitamin A in liquid form to ensure they are not deficient,” said Dr K Kolandaisamy, Director, Department of Public health. A total of 5,89,424 children are expected to benefit due to the programme.

The National Prophylaxis Programme against nutritional blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency was started in 1970 in seven states and then expanded to the entire country. Now, it is held twice a year to make sure that children don’t get any kind of visual problems. “Until the entire country is free from this deficiency, each state will continue to organise the programme. What we give the children is basically to replenish the liver store,” he added.