RAJSHAHI, July 5, 2018 (BSS)- Experts at a city level advocacy meeting here
on Wednesday urged all the officials and others concerned to make the
forthcoming July 14 National vitamin ‘A’ plus campaign-2018 (First round) a
total success to address vitamin deficiency disorders among babies.
They 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, they
added.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) organised the advocacy and planning meeting
in association with Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) and UNICEF at
its conference hall ahead of the campaign.
Chief Executive Officer Rejaul Karim, Chief Health Officer Dr AFM Anzuman
Ara Begum, IPHN Representative Dr Sadat Hossain Shahriar, Project Director of
Tilottoma Abjalur Rashid and ward councilors Bilkish Banu, Muslima Begum,
Tahera Begum and Nasira Khanom addressed the meeting.
During her keynote presentation, 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.
Referring to the WHO guideline, she said children should begin vitamin ‘A’
supplement at the age of six months but unfortunately, children aged between
6 and 9 months do not get the supplement despite various interventions.
She called upon the ward-level officials to organise orientation for
volunteers at union-level one week before the campaign so that they could do
the work properly and effectively.
The national Vitamin ‘A’ plus campaign will be observed across the country
to prevent childhood blindness, reducing child mortality and strengthening
immunity.
Around 7,435 children aged six months to 11 months will be given blue-
coloured capsule of high powered Vitamin A and 54,155 children aged one year
to five will be given red-coloured capsule of high-powered Vitamin A.
The programme will be conducted in 384 centres including 343 permanent ones
in the city.