The Global Alliance for Vitamin A (GAVA) and its partner agencies have developed the following products to provide countries with evidence-informed programmatic guidance on how to plan and implement vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in the context of COVID-19. These resources will be updated as new evidence emerges and the COVID-19 pandemic progresses.
GAVA Webinar: Operationalizing Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) in the Context of COVID-19
GAVA hosted a webinar on July 9th, 2020, to review GAVA’s operational guidance on the administration of VAS for preschool-aged children in the context of COVID-19, and to answer questions from program managers and those working in the field. The guidance document contains practical guidance for program managers on preparing for the delivery of VAS, as well as detailed step-by-step instructions for health workers on how to safely deliver VAS using appropriate infection prevention and control measures.
Presentation in English | French
Universal Vitamin A Supplementation for Preschool-Aged Children In The Context of COVID-19: GAVA Consensus Statement
This Global Alliance for Vitamin A (GAVA) consensus statement provides guidance on vitamin A supplementation (VAS) for preschool-aged children through campaigns and routine health and nutrition services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance is not intended to replace national guidance. Rather, it serves as a consensus document based on GAVA’s review of WHO guidance for other services that use mass campaigns (e.g. vaccination) and routine health delivery platforms. The guidance will be amended as new information and evidence emerges.
Administration Of Vitamin A Supplementation for Preschool-Aged Children in the Context Of COVID-19
The recent consensus statement from the Global Alliance for Vitamin A (GAVA) on universal VAS in the context of COVID-19 recommends that countries that deliver VAS through campaigns should conduct a risk-benefit analysis that reviews the epidemiological evidence and weighs the short- and medium-term public health consequences of implementing or postponing VAS delivery, weighed against a potential increase in COVID-19 transmission. In settings where mass campaign delivery is not considered beneficial in the context of COVID-19, countries will need to consider shifting to VAS delivery through routine child health and nutrition services. In all settings where VAS is being delivered through routine services, GAVA recommends that countries decide on which VAS delivery mechanism to employ during the pandemic based on the local health system context and transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Countries are encouraged to consider other opportunities for integrationThe sharing of all or specific campaign components or functions by a specific program addressing a disease or health need with the of VAS with the delivery of other child health services (e.g. integrated management of childhood illnesses services, screening for acute malnutrition, routine immunization or other modalities established in-country for delivering essential health and nutrition services in the context of COVID-19).
Framework For Deciding Whether To Implement Vitamin A Supplementation Campaigns In The Context Of Covid-19: Knowledge Brief
Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) is a life-saving intervention that reduces the risk of child mortality, morbidity and malnutrition in countries with high levels of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). During disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 when accessThe ease in reaching health services or health facilities in terms of location, time, and ease of approach. to health services is often limited, it is particularly important that children in these contexts receive their twice-yearly high-dose VAS every 4 to 6 months. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the purpose of this brief is to: 1. Outline a decision-making framework to help countries that deliver VAS through campaigns decide how best to proceed with VAS delivery, and 2. Offer guiding principles when deliberating on the appropriateness of implementing VAS campaigns.
FAQs
These FAQs were developed to complement GAVA’s resources on vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including GAVA’s consensus statement and operational guide. The FAQ are organized by topic.
Video Job Aids for Frontline Workers
GAVA developed three pictorial video job aids for frontline health workers to guide them through the steps required to safely administer vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in the context of COVID-19. The videos were designed to complement comprehensive training that encompasses local guidelines and follows the detailed guidance in the GAVA operational guide on administering VAS in the context of COVID-19. As such, they are not meant to be used as a stand-alone training tool.
Videos in English | French | Arabic | Portuguese