Vitamin A supplementation of young children in Burkina Faso, and risk factors for non‐coverage

Background High‐dose vitamin A supplements (VAS) are distributed to children 6–59 mo in Burkina Faso (BF) twice yearly. Objective To assess VAS coverage in southwestern BF and factors associated with missed coverage. Methods A cross‐sectional household survey was conducted in 106 villages in the Orodara Health District. Caregivers with children aged <27 mo were shown a photo of the VAS capsules and asked whether their child received VAS in the past 6 mo. Results 8,892 caregivers of 10,490 children <27 mo were interviewed. Among children 6–27 mo who were eligible to receive VAS, 94.3% reportedly received VAS in the previous 6 mo. Coverage was lower in urban areas (89.6% urban vs. 94.9% rural, p<0.0001), among children of younger mothers (p=0.001) and in selected communities. Among all children who received VAS, 18.7% were younger than the age minimum of 6 mo. Conclusion VAS coverage was high, but specific targeting of urban areas and children of younger mothers may further increase coverage. Focus on targeted age range will require reinforcement of staff training. Financial support from the Thrasher Research Fund and the Canadian International Development Agency.