Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Nutritional Blindness, a child received the first dose of vitamin A at 9 months of age. What is the correct schedule for subsequent prophylactic doses?

• A One lakh IU every 3 months until 3 years of age
• B Two lakh IU once at 16 to 18 months, with no further doses required
• C Two lakh IU monthly for six doses starting at 12 months
• D Two lakh IU at 16 to 18 months, then two lakh IU every 6 months until the fifth birthday ✓

Explanation

The schedule gives one lakh IU with measles vaccine at 9 months, two lakh IU with DPT booster at 16 to 18 months, and then two lakh IU every 6 months up to 5 years, making nine doses in total. Distractor B describes only the second dose and ignores the biannual doses, which are the backbone of the programme because liver stores deplete within about six months.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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