Free vitamins extended to more families
Sue Learner
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Free vitamins are being given to children up to the age of four and all pregnant and breastfeeding women, under a scheme being piloted in Wales.
The Healthy Start vitamins are currently available to low income families.
Welsh health minister Edwina Hart said, 'In the UK, half of all children under five are reported to have not enough vitamin A in their diet and there are reports of young children suffering from vitamin D deficiency. These vitamins are needed for normal healthy growth and development.'
The pilot, launched by First Minister for Wales, Carwyn Jones, is taking place across Cardiff.
The free Healthy Start vitamins are to be given out by health visitors and at local health centres and clinics.
Results from the pilot will be reviewed after a year, and if shown successful, the programme will be rolled out across Wales.
Healthy Start is a UK-wide scheme that provides vouchers to low-income families to spend on milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and infant formula.
The provision of free Healthy Start vitamin supplements has been piloted in three areas of England and in NHS Fife and NHS Tayside in Scotland.
