Vitamin A Plus nationwide campaign to reach 2.4cr children

The National Vitamin A Plus Campaign will be held across the country on 28 June, with a target of administering Vitamin A capsules to nearly 2.40 crore children.

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit disclosed the information at a press conference held at the conference room of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Secretariat on Thursday.

He said the Vitamin A campaign will be conducted simultaneously across the country from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on 28 June.

If any child misses the campaign on that day, the capsule will be administered the following day at the Upazila Health Complex.

In addition, the capsules will continue to be administered for four days after the campaign in 58 remote upazilas of 12 districts.

The press conference was told that vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of childhood blindness, including night blindness.

To address this deficiency, children aged 6 to 11 months will be given one blue Vitamin A capsule each, while children aged 12 to 59 months will receive one high-potency red Vitamin A capsule each during the campaign.

Highlighting the preparations for the campaign, Dr Muhit said that alongside 120,000 permanent centres across the country, 500 temporary centres have been set up at various important public locations to administer the capsules to children.

The state minister said Vitamin A deficiency is one of the main causes of childhood blindness, including night blindness.

Two decades ago, cases of children becoming blind due to malnutrition were seen in Bangladesh, he said, adding that the rate has declined rapidly following the regular distribution of vitamin A capsules.

He said all children, except those suffering from severe or complicated illnesses, will be able to take the capsules.

He also advised that children should not be given the capsules on an empty stomach.

Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas and Additional Director General (Administration) Professor Dr Zahid Raihan, among others, were present at the press conference.