RAJSHAHI, Feb 8, 2019 (BSS)- Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Civil
Surgeon Office have adopted massive preparations to observe the National
Vitamin ‘A’ Plus Campaign-2019 (second round) in the city and nine upazilas
of the district tomorrow (Saturday).
The campaign will begin at 8 am at 2,138 centres and continue till 4 pm.
Over 3.53 lakh children, aged between six months to 59 months, will be
administered vitamin ‘A’ Plus capsules.
These were revealed by the officials concerned of the RCC and Civil Surgeon
Office while talking to BSS separately here today.
Disseminating her expertise, RCC Chief Health Officer Dr AFM Anzuman Ara
Begum mentioned that 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.
“It’s also very important for reduction of the diarrheal attack and
prevention of post-measles blindness,” she said, adding that media support is
very important to make the vitamin ‘A’ plus campaign successful so that all
the vitamin deficiency related disorders among babies are removed completely.
Rajshahi City Corporation has set a target of feeding vitamin A capsule to
62,953 babies. Of them, 7,976 children aged between six months to 11 months
will be given blue-coloured capsule of high powered Vitamin A and 54,977
children aged between 12 months to 59 months will be given red-coloured
capsule of high-powered Vitamin A.
The programme will be conducted in 384 centres including 343 permanent and
41 mobile ones in the city.
Meanwhile, one dose of one lakh unit Vitamin A Blue capsule will be
administered to 28,299 babies (6 to 11 months) and one dose two lakh unit
Vitamin A Red capsule to 2,61,550 babies (12 to 59 months) in nine upazilas
of the district.
Civil Surgeon Sanjeet Kumar Shaha told BSS that 3,508 volunteers, 286
family welfare assistances, 228 community health service providers and 184
health assistances will work at 1,754 centres including 10 permanent ones in
the district and special steps has been taken at the bus stands and other
places to make the campaign a success.
Dr Sanjeet Shaha said the campaign would be conducted to reduce death risks
of babies, save them from blindness caused by Vitamin A shortage through
disseminate knowledge among people about nutritional aspects for children.