RANGPUR, April 24, 2018 (BSS) – Health experts at a post-rally discussion here have said Bangladesh has achieved laudable success in eliminating malnutrition of babies, children, adolescents, pregnant women, mothers as well as common people.
The Civil Surgeon Office organised the discussion at conference room of the Civil Surgeon in observance of the National Nutrition Week-2018 with the theme of ‘Think about Nutrition, if You Think about Food’ on Monday afternoon.
The Directorate of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO) and other organisations and extending assistance to the Civil Surgeon Office in observing the week through various programmes.
The week is being observed with the objectives of creating public awareness about the importance of nutrition for building a healthier nation to enhance productivity for accelerating economic growth to further speed up national progress.
Deputy Director of the Department of Family Planning Dr Sheikh Md Shahidul Islam attended the discussion as the chief guest with Acting Civil Surgeon Dr Md Abdul Mokaddem in the chair.
Medical Officer of Civil Surgeon Office Dr Zerin Mustari and Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Rabi Sankar Mandal, among others, addressed.
Dr Mokaddem discussed various government campaigns and programmes being implemented to eliminate malnutrition and the successes already achieved toward the direction on the way to achieve the sustainable development goals.
“Distribution of essential drugs and vitamins like deworming tablets, iron, folic acid and calcium tablets to pregnant women and Calcium and vitamin D to aged people and Vitamin A campaigns have laudably enriched the nutrition sector,” he said.
Dr Zerin Mustari discussed the necessity of breastfeeding, selecting and consuming nutritious foodstuffs to ensure nutrition of the pregnant women, mothers and babies for building a healthy nation.
The chief guest said, “The effective steps of the government like regular doses of Vitamin A to children have almost removed Vitamin A deficiency and reduced night blindness and prevalence of underweight child.”
He laid special emphasis on better coordination among government departments and NGOs for successful implementation of the comprehensive national nutrition service programme to eliminate malnutrition of the people of all ages.