The vitamin A+ campaign programme started on Saturday across the country with a target to feed the life-saving capsules to at least 21 million children aged between six months to five years. Director General of the Health Directorate Professor Dr Khondaker Mohammad Sefayetullah inaugurated the programme at its Mohakhali office in the city. “A red capsule will be given to 1-5 year old children while a blue capsule for 6-11 year old children,” he said.
Awareness messages on exclusive breastfeeding would be disseminated during the Vitamin A campaign at the government’s 120,000 permanent and 20,000 mobile centres.
The mobile centres are giving their services from different bus stands, toll station of bridges, rail stations, airports, ferry terminals and kheya ghats to ensure the programme a success, he added.
The centres would remain open from 8am to 4pm, he said. Health minister AFM Ruhal Haque said vitamin A prevents night blindness and enhances immune system of the children helping them to fight off infections – a major child killer.
The government conducts this campaign twice a year and attaches great importance as it has reduced the rate of night blindness to 0.04 per cent at present from 3.76 per cent in 1982. Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said this campaign can help to reduce child mortality rate.
Usually an additional de-worming tablet was being administered to children at the same campaign, but the government has decided not to feed de-worming pills with vitamin-A from now on as rumours of children falling ill maligned the March campaign, the minister said.
Feeding de-worming pills in empty stomach can sometimes cause slight discomfort, investigations found. Control rooms have been opened at upazila and district level centres to monitor the campaign so that no baby is left behind, he added.
-With The Independent input
