News Archive
Helen Keller International Receives $12 Million Grant from CIDA To Reduce Child Mortality
New York – Helen Keller International (HKI) has signed a $12 million grant with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The purpose of the grant is to reduce under-five mortality by ensuring high and sustained vitamin A supplementation (VAS) coverage as the cornerstone of a low-cost, high-impact package of child survival interventions. Effective vitamin A supplementation has the potential to reduce mortality rates in children aged six to 59 months by an estimated 25%. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that over 42% of children are at risk of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and that controlling VAD will prevent over 645,000 deaths per year. CIDA is one of the major enablers of VAS worldwide.
