Vitamin A plus campaign on Saturday

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DHAKA, July 12, 2018 (BSS) – The government like previous years is going to
observe the Vitamin A plus campaign in the country on July 14 (Saturday).

“Around 2.25 crore children aged between six months and five years, will be
fed Vitamin A capsules under a national campaign on that day,” State Minister
for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque told a press briefing marking the
campaign at the secretariat here today.

He said of the total number of children, around 25 lakh aged between six
to 11 months will be fed one blue colour Vitamin-A capsule each, while around
1.94 crore babies aged between 12 to 59 months would be fed red color
capsules.

“Children will be fed the Vitamin A capsule at some 1, 20,000 permanent and
20 thousand mobile health centres across the country,” Maleque added.

He said mobile health centres will be set up at bus stands, railway
stations, launch terminals, airports, ferry terminals, bridge toll centres
and kheya ghats, and these will remain open from 8am to 4pm to make sure that
all children are fed the capsules.

At least two trained volunteers would work at each centres, he added.

The state minister further said the government would run the campaign for
the next four days (July 15-19) in hard to reach areas and will feed Vitamin-
A capsules through ‘child to child searching’ programme visiting each and
every homes in 240 unions under 42 upazilas in 12 districts.

“All should bring their children with full stomach to be fed the Vitamin-A
capsule on that day. Children should not be fed the capsule forcefully or
while they are crying. Children aged below six months or more than five years
or with any kind of sickness should not be fed the capsule,” Maleque said.

The state minister said the rate of children’s night-blindness in the
country has come down below one per cent following the distribution of
Vitamin A-plus capsules regularly.

“Feeding of Vitamin-A capsule not only keep the children safe from night-
blindness, it also increases their immune system, keep their eyesight
perfect, bring down the child mortality rate and ensure their natural growth,
among other benefits,” Maleque added.

Zahid Maleque further said for the first time, this campaign will be
inaugurated outside Dhaka this year, where Health Minister Mohammed Nasim
will launch the programme from Pabna 250 bed General Hospital on Saturday.