The government began a two-day National Vitamin A Programme across Nepal on November 3, 2026, providing vitamin A capsules to children aged six months to 59 months and deworming medicine to children aged one to five years. The campaign is scheduled to continue through November 4, with an estimated 2.1 million children set to receive vitamin A and around 2 million expected to receive deworming medicine, according to Lila Bikram Thapa, chief of the Nutrition Section at the Department of Health Services.
Children’s age groups and estimated reach
The programme covers two age groups, with eligibility depending on the service. Children from six months through 59 months are included for vitamin A capsules. Deworming medicine is being administered to children aged one to five years. The age ranges overlap, but the programme specifies separate eligibility for each intervention.
Thapa said the nationwide campaign aims to reach about 2.1 million children with vitamin A and approximately 2 million with deworming medicine. Those figures are programme estimates, and the two totals reflect the different age groups covered by each service. The Department of Health Services has identified the campaign as a National Vitamin A Programme, being delivered over two consecutive days across the country.
Nationwide campaign runs through November 4
The campaign began on November 3 and is set to run on November 4 as well. Its two-day schedule provides the period for eligible children across Nepal to receive the specified capsules or medicine. The announcement covers the campaign nationally rather than identifying a single district or locality.
Reports on the launch show the programme underway and describe children receiving vitamin A capsules and deworming medicine. The Ratopati report and Nepal Lead report provide coverage of the campaign. The Department of Health Services’ stated reach gives an indication of the scale of the current round: millions of children are included across the two services.
Separate services, shared campaign period
Although vitamin A capsules and deworming medicine are being provided as part of the same two-day campaign, the services do not have identical age limits. The vitamin A group includes children aged six months to 59 months, while deworming medicine is for children aged one to five years. Families should therefore note the age criteria for the particular service when considering whether a child is included.
The campaign is scheduled to conclude on November 4, 2026. Thapa’s estimates indicate that roughly 2.1 million children are expected to receive vitamin A and around 2 million to receive deworming medicine during the programme. No further details on local delivery arrangements or final participation figures were included in the information provided about the launch.
