LIBERIA LAUNCHES VITAMIN A AND MEBENDAZOLE CAMPAIGN

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the government of Liberia have launched a campaign to administer vitamin A supplementation and deworming tablets to children under the age of 5.

Some 519,000 children ages 6 months to 5 years are targeted to receive vitamin A supplementation while 502,000 children ages 1 to 5 years are projected to receive a Mebendazole deworming tablet.

Vitamin A helps prevent blindness, measles, diarrheal dehydration and acute respiratory infections. Intestinal parasites can be deadly, and the deworming tablet also helps resist other infections.

The initiative is funded by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the U.N. Mission in Liberia.