'No vitamin more powerful than mother’s colostrum'

Stressing the importance of feeding newborns ‘colostrum’ immediately after birth, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain on Sunday emphasised colostrum, terming it the first vaccine, while advising against relying solely on capsules or artificial vitamins.

The minister made this remark while inaugurating the National Vitamin A Campaign at Shaheed Abu Sayeed Convention Hall of Bangladesh Medical University, saying parents should not rely solely on capsules or artificial vitamins to strengthen their children’s nutrition and immunity.

“There is no vitamin more effective than a mother’s colostrum in protecting children from diseases,” the minister told reporters after opening the Vitamin A campaign.

The Vitamin A capsules are being administered to children aged between six and 59 months. The supplement boosts immunity and plays an effective role in preventing measles and several other diseases, he added.