Researchers looked at 11 different studies involving over 32,000 children in Ethiopia to understand how many kids are getting vitamin A supplements and why some families miss out. They found that only about 53% of children under five are receiving these important supplements, which is far below the 95% goal set by the government and the 80% target recommended by world health organizations. The study shows that mothers’ education, family income, and regular doctor visits during pregnancy make a big difference in whether children get these supplements. These findings suggest that helping mothers learn more about vitamin A and making sure they visit doctors regularly could help many more children stay healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How many children under five years old in Ethiopia are receiving vitamin A supplements and what factors help or prevent families from getting these supplements for their children
  • Who participated: The analysis combined information from 11 different research studies that together included 32,361 children under five years old and their families across Ethiopia
  • Key finding: Only about 53 out of every 100 children in Ethiopia are getting vitamin A supplements, which is much lower than the 95% goal the country is trying to reach and the 80% minimum recommended by the World Health Organization
  • What it means for you: If you live in Ethiopia or work in child health, this research suggests that focusing on educating mothers, helping families access regular prenatal care, and supporting lower-income families could help many more children get the vitamin A they need to stay healthy and strong

The Research Details

Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, which means they carefully searched for all published studies on this topic across seven major medical databases (PubMed, Medline, HINARI, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar) between March and April 2025. They followed strict international guidelines called PRISMA to make sure their search was thorough and fair.

After finding all the studies, the researchers checked the quality of each one using a standard scoring system called the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to make sure they were only including reliable research. They then combined the results from all 11 studies that met their requirements, using a special statistical method that accounts for differences between studies.

The researchers also checked whether the studies showed similar results (called heterogeneity) and looked for signs that some studies might not have been published because they had negative results (called publication bias). This careful approach helps ensure the final answer is as accurate as possible.

This research approach is important because no single study can give us the complete picture of vitamin A supplementation across all of Ethiopia. By combining results from multiple studies, researchers can see the bigger pattern and identify what factors are most important. The meta-analysis method also helps identify which factors consistently matter across different regions and populations, making the findings more reliable for making real-world health decisions.

This study is a high-quality systematic review that followed international best practices. The researchers were transparent about their methods, checked the quality of included studies, looked for bias, and registered their plan in advance (PROSPERO registration). However, the overall vitamin A coverage rate of 53% is based on combining studies that may have been done in different ways and at different times, which could affect the exact number. The findings are most reliable for identifying which factors matter most rather than for the precise percentage.

What the Results Show

The main finding is that vitamin A supplementation coverage in Ethiopia is critically low at 53.43%, meaning only about half of children under five are receiving these important supplements. This falls significantly short of Ethiopia’s national goal of 95% coverage and is also below the 80% minimum threshold recommended by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

The research identified four key factors that strongly influence whether children receive vitamin A supplements. First, family wealth status matters—wealthier families are more likely to ensure their children get supplements. Second, mothers who attend regular prenatal care appointments (called antenatal care or ANC visits) are much more likely to have children who receive vitamin A supplements. Third, mothers who have access to information about vitamin A and its importance are significantly more likely to get supplements for their children. Fourth, mothers with higher education levels are more likely to ensure their children receive these supplements.

These findings suggest that the barriers to vitamin A supplementation are not just about the availability of the supplements themselves, but also about access to information, healthcare services, education, and economic resources. The research indicates that improving any of these factors could help increase coverage rates.

While the primary focus was on overall coverage rates and main factors, the analysis also revealed that the coverage varies significantly by region within Ethiopia. Some areas have much higher coverage than others, suggesting that local implementation of supplementation programs differs. This regional variation is important because it shows that some areas have successfully achieved higher coverage rates, meaning their strategies could potentially be copied in other regions.

This research builds on previous studies by bringing together all available evidence on this topic in Ethiopia. The 53% coverage rate aligns with concerns raised in earlier research that vitamin A supplementation programs in Ethiopia are not reaching enough children. The identification of specific factors like maternal education and antenatal care attendance confirms what smaller studies have suggested and provides stronger evidence by combining multiple sources. This meta-analysis strengthens the case for focusing interventions on these specific factors.

The study has several limitations that readers should understand. First, the exact coverage percentage of 53.43% is based on combining studies done at different times and in different ways, so the true number might be slightly different. Second, the studies included may not represent all regions of Ethiopia equally, so some areas might be over- or under-represented. Third, the research can show which factors are associated with vitamin A supplementation but cannot prove that these factors directly cause higher coverage—there may be other explanations. Finally, the data comes from published studies, and studies with negative results are sometimes less likely to be published, which could slightly affect the overall findings.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, public health programs should prioritize three main strategies: (1) Increase mothers’ education and access to information about vitamin A’s importance through community programs and health worker training (high confidence); (2) Strengthen antenatal care services and ensure pregnant women attend regular appointments, where vitamin A information can be shared (high confidence); (3) Develop targeted programs for lower-income families to remove financial barriers to supplementation (moderate confidence). These recommendations are supported by the research but should be adapted to local conditions in each region.

This research is most important for government health officials, public health workers, and organizations working on child health in Ethiopia. It’s also relevant for international health organizations supporting Ethiopia’s health programs. Parents and caregivers in Ethiopia should care about this because it highlights the importance of vitamin A for their children’s health. Healthcare workers should use this information to prioritize vitamin A supplementation and educate families about its importance. However, these findings are specific to Ethiopia’s context and may not apply the same way in other countries.

Vitamin A supplementation works relatively quickly—children’s health can begin to improve within weeks to months of receiving adequate vitamin A. However, building better health systems and increasing coverage rates across an entire country is a long-term effort that typically takes 1-3 years to show significant improvements. Individual families who start ensuring their children receive vitamin A supplements should expect to see improvements in their children’s eye health and immune function within a few months.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track vitamin A supplementation doses received by children under five, recording the date, dose amount, and any side effects observed. Users can set monthly reminders for supplementation schedules and log completion status to monitor adherence over time.
  • Users can set up appointment reminders for antenatal care visits and vitamin A supplementation clinics. The app can provide educational content about vitamin A’s importance and connect users with local health facilities offering free or low-cost supplements.
  • Implement a long-term tracking dashboard showing supplementation coverage over months and years, with alerts for missed doses. Include trend analysis to show progress toward personal and community-level coverage goals, and allow users to share anonymized data with health workers to identify coverage gaps in their area.

This research summary is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Vitamin A supplementation decisions should be made in consultation with qualified healthcare providers who can assess individual child health needs. Parents and caregivers should follow guidance from their local health authorities and healthcare providers regarding vitamin A supplementation for their children. This summary reflects research findings but does not constitute medical recommendations for any individual case.