Vitamin A & Childhood Blindness

Episode 61 of the The Good Sight Podcast podcast, hosted by The Good Sight Podcast, titled "Vitamin A & Childhood Blindness" was published on August 29, 2025 and runs 15 minutes.

August 29, 2025 ·15m · The Good Sight Podcast

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Summary

We often think of blindness as the result of disease or accident. But what if losing sight had nothing to do with either—and everything to do with a missing vitamin?Vitamin A deficiency is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness. Beyond vision loss, it weakens a child’s immune system, leaving them vulnerable to infections that can turn fatal. And yet, this crisis remains invisible, hidden in plain sight.In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Radhika Batra, pediatrician and co-founder of Every Infant Matters, who has worked across India, Nigeria, and beyond to deliver life-saving nutrition in underserved communities. Through her efforts, lakhs of children have received Vitamin A and deworming support, while countless women have benefited from prenatal vitamins and awareness campaigns.We explore:• What Vitamin A really does inside the body• How deficiency leads to blindness and weakened immunity• Why Vitamin A is still missing from so many diets• Everyday foods that provide this vital nutrient• What every parent or caregiver should know about protecting their child’s healthIf you care about children’s health, nutrition equity, or the power of low-cost interventions to save lives, this episode is for you.About Nutrition Every Day: A special podcast series by The Good Sight and Rise Against Hunger India, bringing grounded, sharp insights on health and nutrition.CreditsHost: Shreya MGuest: Dr. Radhika BatraResearch: Alisha CArtwork: Rajnikant SProduced by: The Good SightConcept: The Good Sight & Rise Against Hunger IndiaFor feedback or to participate, write to us at [email protected]#NutritionEveryDay #VitaminA #PreventableBlindness #ChildHealth #FoodSecurity #TheGoodSight #RiseAgainstHungerIndia #SustainableNutrition

Episode Description

We often think of blindness as the result of disease or accident. But what if losing sight had nothing to do with either—and everything to do with a missing vitamin?

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness. Beyond vision loss, it weakens a child’s immune system, leaving them vulnerable to infections that can turn fatal. And yet, this crisis remains invisible, hidden in plain sight.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Radhika Batra, pediatrician and co-founder of Every Infant Matters, who has worked across India, Nigeria, and beyond to deliver life-saving nutrition in underserved communities. Through her efforts, lakhs of children have received Vitamin A and deworming support, while countless women have benefited from prenatal vitamins and awareness campaigns.

We explore:
• What Vitamin A really does inside the body
• How deficiency leads to blindness and weakened immunity
• Why Vitamin A is still missing from so many diets
• Everyday foods that provide this vital nutrient
• What every parent or caregiver should know about protecting their child’s health

If you care about children’s health, nutrition equity, or the power of low-cost interventions to save lives, this episode is for you.

About Nutrition Every Day: A special podcast series by The Good Sight and Rise Against Hunger India, bringing grounded, sharp insights on health and nutrition.

Credits
Host: Shreya M
Guest: Dr. Radhika Batra
Research: Alisha C
Artwork: Rajnikant S
Produced by: The Good Sight
Concept: The Good Sight & Rise Against Hunger India

For feedback or to participate, write to us at [email protected]

#NutritionEveryDay #VitaminA #PreventableBlindness #ChildHealth #FoodSecurity #TheGoodSight #RiseAgainstHungerIndia #SustainableNutrition