Deaths trigger fresh controversy over vitamin A programme in India

Indian doctors have renewed their accusation that international agencies are needlessly promoting the administration of vitamin A across India to all children aged below 5 years.

Paediatricians and nutritionists launched a barrage of criticism after 14 children died and thousands fell ill last week in the north eastern state of Assam following a vitamin A campaign supported by Unicef. Health officials are investigating the deaths and illness amid suspicions that health workers might have given overdoses to children during the state-wide campaign to deliver vitamin A to three million children aged 1 to 5 years.

Unicef had replaced the traditional 2 millilitre spoons with 5 millilitre …