Vitamin D deficiency hidden epidemic, weakening health foundation: Report

India is facing a silent but serious health challenge of Vitamin D deficiency according to a report on Monday that urged the government to tackle the lack of the sunshine vitamin in one in every five IndiansThe Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations ICRIER along with the ANVKA Foundation submitted two key policy briefs elaborating a national roadmap to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare MoHFW and an action plan specific to DelhiThe suggestions are based on a recently released study which highlighted that Vitamin D deficiency has become a public health concern in India and is affecting people across regions age groups and income levelsldquoOur recommendations focus on practical steps that can be implemented right away using existing health networks local partnerships and awareness campaignsrdquo said Dr Arpita Mukherjee Professor at ICRIER and lead author of the reportsThe recommendations include launching a Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat campaign on the lines of Anaemia Mukt Bharat to spread awareness promote sunlight exposure encourage fortified foods and make testing and supplements affordableThe report urged the government to launch a nationwide awareness campaign creating a multistakeholder platform to align ongoing efforts including Vitamin D into existing healthcare programmes leveraging national survey data for targeted interventions and setting uniform guidelines for the testing and treatment for Vitamin D deficiency in IndiaFurther the policy brief submitted to the Delhi government urges the government to take the lead through mass testing public awareness drives and integration of Vitamin D supplementation into existing programmesIt also recommended training ASHA and Anganwadi workers and ensuring the availability of supplementsldquoDelhi can become a model city for a lsquoVitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharatrsquo campaign with focused actionrdquo Mukherjee saidThe authors also emphasised that tackling Vitamin D deficiency aligns with the governmentrsquos broader vision of Ayushman Bharat and preventive healthcareldquoVitamin D deficiency is not just a minor health issue it is a hidden epidemic that weakens the foundation of good healthrdquo said Chaudhry Founder ampamp Director of ANVKA FoundationWhile Vitamin D deficiency affects everyone from childrenrsquos growth to womenrsquos maternal health and mobility in the elderly it is one of the easiest deficiencies to prevent and treat if we act promptly the experts saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever