Delhi, India’s capital, with a population of 34.7 million, suffers from a silent epidemic – Vitamin D deficiency. The ICRIER-ANVKA 2025 report titled “Roadmap to Address Vitamin D Deficiency in India” found that one in five Indians are Vitamin D deficient, with children, pregnant women and elderly being the vulnerable groups. In a densely populated and highly urbanised city like Delhi, the risks are even more pronounced. Studies reveal that 94% of new-born children, 92.3% of adolescents, 93.5% of pregnant women, 91.2% of elders and 71 % of urban residents in Delhi were found to be Vitamin D deficient. This deficiency is associated with serious and lifelong health risks, such as, rickets in children, osteomalacia/osteoporosis in adults and poor foetal bone development during pregnancy.
This policy brief outlines six action points for the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW), Government of NCT of Delhi, to achieve a “Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Delhi”. The recommendations range from publishing mass testing data to enable evidence-based policymaking and identifying vulnerable groups and areas, integrating Vitamin D supplementation into existing health programmes, creating awareness, fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships, building the capacity of frontline health workers and ensuring the widespread availability of supplements through public healthcare systems.
By taking timely and focused action, Delhi can not only improve public health outcomes and reduce the burden on its healthcare system but also emerge as a leading example in the national effort towards achieving a “Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat.”
