DHAKA, Jan 14, 2019 (BSS) – The national vitamin A plus campaign will be
held across the country on January 19 (Saturday) to feed vitamin ‘A’ plus
capsules to over 2 crore children aged between six to 59 months.
Under the campaign, children aged between six and 11 months will be given
blue colored vitamin ‘A’ capsule while children aged between 12 and 59 months
will be given red colored high-power capsules on that day, said an official
hand out here today.
The campaign will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm on that day across
the country, it said.
Institute of Public Health Nutrition under the Health and Family Welfare
Ministry has been conducting the campaign to feed vitamin ‘A’ capsules to
children at national level since 1974.
The coverage of feeding Vitamin ‘A’ plus capsules, which is crucial to
prevent childhood blindness and reduces child mortality, has increased
significantly standing at 99 percent in 2017 because of the campaign.
In accordance with latest survey, at present, the rate of nyctalopia, a
disease caused by deficiency of vitamin A, is 0.04 percent in the country as
it attained the target of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing the
rate of nyctalopia below one percent to prevent blindness caused by
deficiency of nutrition.
Besides, vitamin A increases immunity of children and reduces the risk of
child mortality.
Our Chattogram correspondent reports, the first round of National Vitamin
‘A’ Plus Campaign will begin in the city and district on January 19 with a
target of administering vitamin A capsules to around 13 lakh babies.
Civil surgeon Dr Mohammad Azizur Rahman Siddique disclosed it today to the
journalists at his office at the south-eastern coast city.
Over 500 supervisors including ward Commissioners of CCC will oversee the
campaign. Civil surgeon office will administer the capsule in 15 upazilas of
the district and CCC will also administer vitamin ‘A’ Plus capsules to the
children in the city.
Civil surgeon office will feed vitamin ‘A’ plus capsules to seven lakh 51
thousand 877 while CCC will administer to over five lakh children.
A total of 4,861 temporary vaccination centers will be set up by
Chattogram Civil Surgeon office at 15 upazilas of the district while CCC will
set up 1,288 temporary centers in 41 wards to carry out the programme.
Over 20,000 volunteers and health workers will engage for feeding vitamin
‘A’ Plus capsules to the children aged from zero to five years.
CCC officials said several mobile teams consisting of 278 members in the
port city and 500 members in the district would be engaged to feed oral
vaccines to the children at rail, bus and steamer stations as well as other
places.
Similar preparations have been taken across the country to make the
nationwide campaign a success.