RANGPUR, Jan 9, 2020 (BSS) – Health experts at a press briefing today said immunization of the under-five children with Vitamin A Plus capsules is crucial for strengthening the immune system to ensure their normal and healthy growth.
They viewed this at the event organised by Civil Surgeon Office at the
conference room of Sadar Hospital to inform media about preparations taken to
make the National Vitamin A Plus Campaign (first round) -2020 on January 11
successful in the district.
The campaign will be conducted under the auspices of the Public Health and
Nutrition Institute and National Nutrition Services under the Ministry of
Health and Family Planning with UNICEF assistance.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Hirombo Kumar Roy briefed the participating journalists
on preparations taken to make the campaign for three lakh 45 thousand and 612
under five children (6 to 59 months) in all eight upazilas of the district a
success.
District Coordinator of Nutrition International Langkesh Barman and
District Health Superintend Arbindu Kumar Modak also spoke narrating the
essence of continuation of Vitamin Al supplementation to the under-five
babies.
The Civil Surgeon said one dose of one-lakh unit Vitamin A Blue capsule
would be administered to 36,813 children (6 to 11 months) and one dose two-
lakh unit Vitamin ‘A’ Red capsule to three lakh eight thousand and 793
children (12 to 59 months) in the district.
“A total of 4,926 people, including 3,664 volunteers, 697 health workers
and 565 family welfare assistants will work at 1,832 outreach centres from 8
am to 4 pm and special steps will be taken at bus stands and other places
during the campaign,” he said.
He said vitamin A prevents mal-nutritional diseases of children like night
blindness, bitot’s spots and corneal lesions and enhance their immune system.
He urged the mass media to make the campaign successful by creating social
awareness about the nutritional aspects of Vitamin A that increases disease
resistant capacities of under-five children.