RANGPUR, Dec 23, 2017 (BSS) – Health experts here today said Vitamin A increases disease resistant capacity of the under five babies, prevents their night blindness and other diseases to ensure their healthier growth.
They came up with the opinion at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘National Vitamin A Plus Campaign (Second Round) 23 December- 2017’ held on the ‘Nagar Bhaban’ premises in the city.
Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Mozammel Hossain attended the function as the chief guest with Chief Executive Officer of Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) Akhter Hossain Azad in the chair.
Chief Health Officer of RpCC Dr Kamruzzaman Ibne Taz and its Health
Inspector Abdul Kaiyum, among others, addressed the function.
Dr Kamruzzaman Ibne Taz put importance on providing Vitamin A Plus
Capsule to all under-five babies for increasing their disease resistant capacity to further reduce infant mortality rate and prevent night blindness.
He said 630 supervisors and volunteers are engaged in providing Vitamin A Plus Capsules to over 1.28 lakh under five babies at 297 outreach centres including 10 satellite centres in all 33 wards of the city.
“Under the programme, 20,300 babies aged between 6 and 11 months and
1.08-lakh babies between 12 and 59 months will be administered with one Vitamin A Plus Blue Capsule and one Vitamin A Red Capsule each respectively,” Dr Taz added.
The chief guest said Vitamin A Plus Capsule has no side effect and asked the parents to contact the health officials if their babies would show vomiting tendency after taking the capsule.
“The under- five babies, who were immunised with Vitamin A Plus Capsules anytime during the past four months period, do not need to be immunised,” he added.
Dr Hossain said supplementation of Vitamin A also reduces 30 percent
measles-related and 33 percent diarrhoea-related death risks of the under five babies.
Akhter Hossain Azad called upon the parents to provide Vitamin A Plus
Capsule to every under-five baby for increasing their disease resistant capacities to reduce infant mortality and prevent night blindness.
At the end, Azad formally launched the campaign by administering Vitamin A Plus Capsules to a number of under five babies.