Control of Vitamin A Deficiency and Blindness

Vitamin A deficiency and its obvious consequences, xerophthalmia and blindness, are endemic in large parts of Asia and Africa. The prevalence of this deficiency is particularly high in countries of South‐East Asia like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia and Philippines. In African countries, most cases of childhood blindness are attributed to measles. It is most likely, however, that measles precipitates severe xerophthalmia in children whose vitamin A status is marginal.