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by Lorraine Anyango

Partnerships to improve nutrition in Kisumu continue to create an impact even with the latest tangible collaboration with the ‘Great Change for All Organization’.  

The County, through the department of Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation, received a consignment of vitamin A, deworming Albendazole tablets, and multivitamins for pregnant women from the Great Change for all organization. 

The founder of Great Change for all, Mr. Moses Churchill Ochola was accompanied by Mr. Caled Atito to present the consignment comprising 200,000 packs of international standards Vitamin A each containing 500 capsules in a tin. 6000 Albendazole tablets and 945 tins each of 180 capsules of multivitamin for pregnant women.  

The Chief Officer, of Medical Services, Public Health, and Sanitation, Dr. Greggory Ganda appreciated the donation saying it was timely as the facilities are having major stock out of the Alpha-lipoic acid treatment for expectant women.

“This donation is of good quality, this one capsule takes care of all the vitamins a pregnant woman would require in a day.” Dr. Ganda said.

Mrs. Rael Mwando, Nutrition coordinator Kisumu County said that deworming has been integrated with vitamin A dispensing in the ECD’s centers. While the Vitamin A and the Albendazole tablet will be distributed in schools. The multivitamin capsules will be dispensed at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) and Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH). 

The vitamins donated have been manufactured by Vitamin Angles. The multivitamin capsules that will be given to pregnant women can help improve birth weight, decrease the number of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborn infants, decrease pre-term births and reduce infant mortality at six months of age.

The capsules will also go a long way to reduce anemia, night blindness, and other symptoms caused by vitamin and mineral deficiency. They will also support a healthy immune system and promote the physical and cognitive development of infants.

When taken as directed multivitamins are not expected to cause serious side effects, however, some women experience stomach upset, constipation, headaches, or an unusual or unpleasant taste in their mouth after taking the multivitamin.

Many of these side effects are temporary and will go away as the body adjusts to the multivitamin with water, snacks, or bedtime to reduce side effects. 

Great Change for All (GC4A) is a non-profitable, non-political, nonracial, and non-sectarian development organization dedicated to working with women, the elderly, youth, and children in the community to reach their full potential. It aims at empowering communities to be free from poverty, hunger, and social injustice through various programs that have a positive impact and sustainable solutions to community concerns.

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