Temasek Foundation to hand out 100,000 bottles of Vitamin D tablets

SINGAPORE: The Temasek Foundation will provide more than 100,000 bottles of Vitamin D tablets to low-income families, seniors and expectant mothers who are assessed to be suitable to take the supplement, it said on Friday (Mar 12)

From Mar 15 to Mar 28, Singapore residents with the blue or orange Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cards and Public Assistance recipients will be eligible to collect a bottle of Vitamin D supplements at participating Guardian, Unity and Watsons pharmacies, Temasek Foundation said in a media release. 

The blue and orange CHAS card holders and Public Assistance recipients can show their CHAS card or Public Assistance card to the pharmacist to collect their supplements. The collection must be done in person and while stocks last. 

KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) will also provide the supplements to about 5,000 expectant mothers who are receiving antenatal care, said Temasek Foundation. 

Meanwhile, SATACommHealth will provide the supplements to about 1,500 vulnerable seniors through its Doctor-On-Wheels programme, Homecare and Rehabilitation Services, community hub in Fernvale and six medical centres situated around Singapore. 

"This programme is the latest of many Stay Prepared COVID-19 initiatives by Temasek Foundation, the aims of which are to enhance resilience and support communities locally and internationally during the pandemic," said the organisation. 

READ: New reusable masks, hand sanitiser to be given out by Temasek Foundation in March and April

The supplements, which is a "convenient melt-on-tongue" Vitamin D formulation, is developed by the nutrition and health arm of German multinational company, BASF. They come in bottles of 100 tablets with a dosage of 400IU (international units) per tablet.

PUBLIC CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS ON IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D

A public education campaign to raise awareness on the importance of getting enough Vitamin D will also be rolled out, said Temasek Foundation. 

"The #StrongerWithSunshine campaign will feature a microsite which includes personal experiences from community influencers on how they boost their Vitamin D levels with regular outdoor activities and good nutrition," it said. 

Commonly known as the "sunshine vitamin", Vitamin D is made in the skin when exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays. It helps to support the immune system and muscle function. Together with calcium, it also helps to keep bones strong and healthy. 

Studies suggest that many Singaporeans are deficient in Vitamin D, despite Singapore getting reasonably consistent daylight hours all year round. This may have worsened with more people staying indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the media release, citing a local study. 

"The public should seek advice from healthcare professionals if they think they are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency," said Temasek Foundation. 

Besides the elderly, expectant mothers, people who are overweight, individuals with naturally darker skin tones and those who are outdoors less often are also among people who are at higher risk of Vitamin D deficiency. 

“We see a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women globally and in Singapore,” said Professor Jerry Chan, senior consultant at KKH's department of reproductive medicine. 

“It is important for pregnant women to get an adequate amount of Vitamin D as it is proven to reduce the risk of complications in pregnancies such as pre-term birth and low birth weight in infants.”