Nepal has launched a two-day nationwide campaign to provide free Vitamin A capsules and deworming medicines to children across the country, beginning on November 3. Under the drive, which is being conducted from Kathmandu, Vitamin A capsules are being administered to children aged six to 59 months, while deworming medicines are being given to children aged one year and above. The campaign covers all districts of Nepal, bringing routine preventive child health services to families in every corner of the country during a single two-day window. As reported by Onlinekhabar and RatoPati, the campaign kicked off on Monday with children across the country being given the capsules and medicines from today.

Free capsules and medicines for young children

The core of the campaign is straightforward: two essential child health interventions, delivered at no cost to families, with eligibility clearly divided by age.

  • Vitamin A capsules are being administered to children aged six to 59 months. This age window spans infants from six months old up to children who have not yet turned five.
  • Deworming medicines are being given to children aged one year and above, extending the reach of the drive beyond the Vitamin A age bracket to older children as well.

The campaign began on November 3 and is scheduled to run for two days, concluding on November 4. It is being conducted from Kathmandu, with activities taking place in all districts of the country simultaneously. This means that families from the mountain districts, the hill regions and the Tarai plains are all taking part in the same national effort during the same two days, rather than in a staggered or phased rollout.

Because the capsules and medicines are being provided free of charge, the campaign removes the cost barrier that can prevent families from accessing such preventive services. Parents and guardians are being given a defined window in which to ensure their eligible children receive both interventions.

Why the campaign focuses on Vitamin A and intestinal worms

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays a critical role in early childhood. It supports normal vision, helps maintain a healthy immune system and contributes to a child's overall growth and development. The period from six months to five years of age, the exact window targeted by this campaign, is when children are most vulnerable to the effects of insufficient Vitamin A. Periodic supplementation during these years is a widely used public health measure to make sure young children get an adequate supply of the nutrient during this crucial stage of development.

Deworming addresses a different but equally common childhood health concern. Intestinal worm infections can affect children's nutrition, energy levels and growth, and children aged one year and above fall within the age group targeted by the medicines being distributed in this campaign. Deworming treatment helps clear these infections, supporting a child's ability to absorb nutrients and stay healthy.

Delivering both interventions together in a single, short campaign allows families to access two important preventive services at the same time. Rather than requiring separate visits for a Vitamin A capsule and a deworming tablet, the campaign consolidates the two into one nationwide exercise lasting just two days.

A nationwide campaign run from Kathmandu

A defining feature of this drive is its scale and coordination. The campaign is being conducted from Kathmandu in all districts of the country, giving it a genuinely national footprint. For the duration of the two days, the same services are available to eligible children whether they live in the capital or in remote districts far from the urban centres.

This uniform, countrywide timing carries practical benefits. Families across Nepal know that the capsules and medicines are available now, during the same window, reducing confusion about when and where children can be covered. It also allows the government to reach the full eligible population, from six-month-old infants in Kathmandu to children well beyond their first birthday in distant villages, in one coordinated push.

The two age-based streams are designed so that the two interventions overlap in a complementary way. Children between one and five years are within the eligibility range for both the Vitamin A capsule and the deworming medicine, meaning a large share of Nepal's young children can receive both during the campaign.

What parents and guardians should know

For families wondering whether their children are covered, the campaign's eligibility rules are clear:

  • Children aged six to 59 months are due to receive Vitamin A capsules during the two-day drive.
  • Children aged one year and above are due to receive deworming medicines.
  • Both the capsules and the medicines are provided free of cost.
  • The campaign runs for two days, having begun on November 3 and concluding on November 4.

The campaign is being conducted from Kathmandu across all districts of the country, so eligible children nationwide fall within its scope. For the government, the two-day drive represents a concentrated effort to deliver Vitamin A supplementation and deworming to the country's youngest citizens in one go, reinforcing the preventive health measures that protect children during the most vulnerable years of their growth and development.