Evaluation of Obstacles to Low Coverage of Routine Vitamin A Supplementation in 2021 in the Guédiawaye Health District in Dakar, Senegal

Abstract

Introduction: Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly the most serious deficiencies of iron, vitamin A and iodine, are a major public health problem in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies and one of the most serious, as it greatly increases the risk of death and predisposes to numerous infectious diseases. Routine vitamin A supplementation in children aged between 6 and 59 months is the strategy used in Senegal to combat micronutrient deficiencies. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the obstacles to the low coverage of routine vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in the Guédiawaye district of Dakar in 2022. Methodology: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study using a quantitative and qualitative method. The cluster sampling method was chosen for the quantitative study. The study population consisted of all mothers/caregivers of children aged 06 to 59 months, providers, and community stakeholders. Results: The practice of supplementation was statistically related to the level of education of those surveyed (p=0.00), communication by health workers (p=0.001) and community stakeholders (P=0.003). Knowledge of the benefits on child growth (p=0.003), the fight against blindness (0.017), the strengthening of the immune system (p=0.001) and the fight against infections (p=0.002) are statistically linked to the practice of VAS. Non-supplementation with vitamin A was 2.3 times higher among children aged over 24 months (p= 0.016); 3.1 times higher among uneducated women (P=0.001) and 3 times higher (0.001) among women who had received no information about VAS. The qualitative results show that a number of reasons were given, including lack of familiarity with the schedule, forgetting to keep appointments at different times, stopping the vaccination cycle and household chores. Conclusion: the obstacles to vitamin A supplementation in Guédiawaye are mainly linked to a lack of knowledge about vitamin A and the non-existence of a proper VAS communication strategy. Hence the need to step up communication with the public.