The National Vitamin A+ Campaign will be observed across the country on June 28 next with the aim of eliminating nutrition-related blindness and preventing child deaths caused by malnutrition in Bangladesh.
Under the campaign, all children aged 6-11 months will be fed one blue Vitamin A capsule (100,000 IU), while children aged 12-59 months will be fed one red Vitamin A capsule (200,000 IU).
Nutrition messages will also be disseminated to encourage mothers to provide home-prepared balanced foods alongside breastfeeding once a child reaches six months of age.
On this occasion, notification meetings and press conferences were held in districts on Thursday.
KHULNA: A total of 4,32,809 children would be administered Vitamin A capsule in the Khulna city and district on June 28.
In the district’s nine upazilas and two municipalities, a total of 3,23,857 children will be fed Vitamin A capsules. Of them, 39,389 are aged between 6 and 11 months, while 2,84,468 are aged between 12 and 59 months.
The Health Department of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) organised a press conference at the conference room of the KCC Health Building on Thursday morning to hold the campaign successfully. KCC Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju attended the event as the chief guest, and KCC Chief Executive Officer Rajib Ahmed chaired the meeting.
Among others, Senior Information Officer of Khulna Regional Information Office Md Mehedi Hasan, General Secretary (GS) of Khulna Press Club Md Tarikul Islam, Chief Health Officer Dr Sharif Shammiul Islam, and journalists attended the event.
It was informed in the press conference that a total of 1,08,952 children in Khulna city will be fed Vitamin A capsules. Of them, 12,337 are aged between 6 and 11 months, while 96,655 are aged between 12 and 59 months. A total of 1,762 permanent and temporary centres will be set up for administering the capsules.
At centres across the city’s 31 wards, children aged 6-11 months will receive blue capsules, while children aged 12-59 months will receive red capsules. Nutrition awareness messages will also be delivered to parents and caregivers.
Meanwhile, a district-level advocacy and planning meeting chaired by Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Mahfuza Khatun was held on Thursday at the conference room of the School Health Clinic in Khulna city to ensure the successful implementation of the campaign.
JOYPURHAT: The meeting was held at the Joypurhat CS Office on Thursday at 11 am chaired by CS Dr Md Al Mamun while Additional District Magistrate Mohaimena Sharmin, Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mahbub-un-Nabi, DD of the District Family Planning Office Mohammad Kamal Hossain, Medical Officers of the CS Office Dr Zubair Md Al Faisal and Dr Abdullah Al Ahsan, Senior Vice President of Joypurhat District Press Club Shahabuddin Ahmed, GS Rezaul Karim Reza, and others spoke.
It was informed in the meeting that from 8 am on Sunday, a total of 1,38,233 children will be fed Vitamin A capsules at 825 centres in the district. Out of this, 12,754 children aged six to 11 months will be fed blue capsules and 1,25,479 children aged 12 to 59 months will be fed red capsules.
NARAYANGANJ: Under the campaign, 3,35,198 children will be fed Vitamin A capsules in 1,056 permanent and temporary centres in 5 upazilas of the district (excluding Narayanganj City Corporation area) on June 28.
CS Dr Abul Fazal Muhammad Mashiur Rahman informed this at a press conference at his office on Thursday morning.
He said that on this day, 41,692 children aged 6 to 11 months will be fed blue colored Vitamin A capsules and 2,93,506 children aged 12 to 59 months will be fed one red colored Vitamin A capsule.
JALDHAKA, NILPHAMARI: The meeting organised by Jaldhaka Upazila Health Complex in collaboration with the Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) was held at the Health Complex hall room on Thursday morning.
Upazila Health Officer Dr Nanda Sen Gupta chaired the programme. Resident Medical Officer Dr Mahadi Hasan, Police Station SI Abu Bakkar, Jaldhaka Press Club President Alhaj Kamruzzaman, GS Shahjahan Kabir Lenin, Family Planning Officer Dr Moniruzzaman, Hemtazul Islam of the Islamic Foundation, among others, spoke at the meeting.
KAWKHALI, PIROJPUR: The meeting was held at the Kawkhali Upazila Health Complex on Thursday at 11 am chaired by Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFPO) Dr Subrata Karmakar while Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Asaduzzaman was present as the chief guest.
Among others, Dr Nahid Hasan Shaon, Upazila Education Officer Md Wahidur Rahman and Kawkhali Police Station (PS) Sub-Inspector Masud Al Mamun spoke at the meeting.
It was informed in the meeting that the campaign will be conducted simultaneously in 121 centres of the upazila from 8 am to 4 pm. At this time, a target of feeding Vitamin A capsules to 7,605 children of the upazila has been set. Under the programme, children aged 6 to 11 months will be fed blue Vitamin A capsules and children aged 12 to 59 months will be fed red Vitamin A plus capsules.
