Vitamin Angels to dramatically expand efforts in Indonesia
Charity Signs MOU with Muhammadiyah, a prominent Indonesian social movement to increase universal distribution of micronutrients supplements and deworming tablets
Vitamin Angels, a 501(c)(3) public charity, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Muhammadiyah, among the largest and oldest charitable organisations in Indonesia, to collaborate on alleviating micronutrient deficiency among children under age 5, by the distribution of micronutrients, specifically vitamin A, and deworming tablets to preschool age children across Indonesia.
The partnership with Muhammadiyah is a significant boost to Vitamin Angels’ efforts in Indonesia as it greatly expands the opportunity for distribution of key products to at-risk populations via Muhammadiyah’s extensive network of 104 hospitals, 200 primary health care clinics a national network of preschools serving more than 32,000 children and orphanages throughout the country.
'This partnership is in accordance with the vision and mission of Muhammadiyah as an organisation that aims at realising an advanced Islamic society,' said Dr Esty Martiana Rachmie, Vice Chair, General Health Service Council/MPKU PP Muhammadiyah. 'This collaboration is expected to improve the health status of mothers and children in Indonesia.'
The agreement comes on the heels of the already dramatic expansion of the organisation’s efforts in Indonesia during the past year, during which Vitamin Angels partnered with 15 local non-profit organisations serving a combined total of more than 1.1 million children. With the addition of Muhammadiyah as a main partner, Vitamin Angels expects to reach an additional one million children in 2016.
Approximately 21 million children under age 5 reside in Indonesia. Among these children, approximately 37% experience stunting, and diarrhoeal disease and measles remain major public health problems. While the Ministry of Health operates national vitamin A programmes, the coverage is around 75%, indicating that as many as 6 million children are currently underserved.
Vitamin Angels’ efforts are intended to be complementary to and co-ordinated with existing national health initiatives.
