RAJSHAHI, June 21, 2019 (BSS) – Over 25.91 lakh babies will be administered
Vitamin ‘A’ Plus capsules in the first round of National Vitamin A Plus
Campaign- 2019 in all the eight districts under Rajshahi division on Saturday
like other parts of the country.
Of the total children, around 2.8 lakh aged between six to 11 months will
be fed one blue colour Vitamin-A capsule each, while around 23.10 lakh babies
aged between 12 to 59 months will be fed red color capsules.
While talking to BSS on Thursday afternoon, Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya,
divisional director of health, said all sorts of necessary preparations
including volunteers training and advocacy meetings with all stakeholders and
journalists were completed to make the campaign a success.
“We will bring all the enlisted babies under the vitamin A plus capsule
feeding on Saturday,” said AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Mayor of Rajshahi City
Corporation (RCC), while addressing a view-sharing meeting with journalists
at the city bhaban conference hall here yesterday.
He said around 7,937 children aged between six months and 11 months will be
given blue-coloured capsule of high powered Vitamin A and 54,731 children
aged between one year and five will be given red-coloured capsule of high-
powered Vitamin A in the city.
The programme will be conducted in 384 centres including 343 permanent and
41 mobile ones in the city.
During concept paper presentation in the meeting, RCC Chief Health Officer
Dr Anzuman Ara Begum said the vitamin ‘A’ plus supplement is helpful for
reducing the severity and duration of illnesses associated with pneumonia and
diarrhea.
She also said vitamin ‘A’ supplement is essential for the normal
functioning of the visual system, maintenance of cell function for growth,
red blood cell production, immunity and reproduction.
The supplementation is also important for substantial reduction of death
rate caused by diarrhea and measles.
Besides, various problems including eyesight and night blindness could be
prevented and cured through successful implementation of the campaign, Dr
Anjuman Ara added.
Referring to the WHO guideline, she said children should begin vitamin ‘A’
supplement at the age of six months.
Addressing another press conference at his office conference hall
yesterday afternoon, Rajshahi Civil Surgeon Dr Mijanur Rahman sought whole-
hearted cooperation of the journalists to make the campaign a total success
for building a healthy nation.