Urge centre, Delhi government to launch joint mission for ‘Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat’
India is facing a silent but serious health challenge of Vitamin D deficiency, which is affecting one in every five Indians, according to latest estimates. To tackle this growing challenge, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and the ANVKA Foundation have submitted two key policy briefs (No- 42 MoHFW1 and No- 51 NCT Delhi2), which include a national roadmap to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and a Delhi-specific action plan to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi.
These suggestions are based on a joint study titled “Roadmap to Address Vitamin D Deficiency in India”, which was conducted and also co-authored by ICRIER researchers and Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, Founder & Director of ANVKA Foundation and Managing Director, Aakash Healthcare Private Limited. The study highlighted that Vitamin D deficiency has become a public health concern in India and is affecting people across regions, age groups, and income levels.
“Vitamin D deficiency is not just a minor health issue; it is a hidden epidemic that weakens the foundation of good health,” said Dr. Chaudhry, also a prominent orthpaedic surgeon. Dr. Chaudhry further said, “From children’s growth to women’s maternal health and mobility in elderly, Vitamin D deficiency affects everyone. However, this is one of the easiest deficiencies to prevent and treat if we act in a timely manner.”
Their recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare including launching a “Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” campaign, on the lines of “Anaemia Mukt Bharat”, to spread awareness, promote sunlight exposure, encourage fortified foods, and make testing and supplements affordable.
They urged the government to launch a “nationwide awareness campaign, creating a multi-stakeholder platform to align ongoing efforts, including Vitamin D into existing healthcare programmes, leveraging national survey data for targeted interventions, and setting uniform guidelines for the testing and treatment for Vitamin D deficiency in India”.
The policy brief, submitted to the Delhi government and titled “Rising Vitamin D Deficiency: Action Points for the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi”, urges the government to take the lead among the states in tackling the Vitamin D deficiency through mass testing, public awareness drives, and integration of Vitamin D supplementation into existing programmes. It also recommended training ASHA and Anganwadi workers and ensuring availability of supplements in mohalla clinics.
“Our recommendations for Delhi focus on practical steps that can be implemented right away, using existing health networks, local partnerships, and awareness campaigns,” said Dr Arpita Mukherjee, Professor at ICRIER and lead author of the reports. Dr Mukherjee said, “Delhi can become a model city for a ‘Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat’ campaign with focused action.”
The authors emphasise that tackling Vitamin D deficiency aligns with the government’s broader vision of Ayushman Bharat and preventive healthcare. “By taking early, coordinated action, India and Delhi can reduce disease burden, improve public health outcomes, and ensure that everyone, be it infants or the elderly, gets the sunshine vitamin they need for a healthier life,” said Dr Chaudhry.
References
1 https://icrier.org/publications/action-points-for-the-ministry-of-health-and-family-welfare-mohfw/
2 https://icrier.org/publications/rising-vitamin-d-deficiency-action-points-for-the-department-of-health-and-family-welfare-government-of-nct-of-delhi/
