Call to make vitamin A campaign a success across country

MAGURA, Dec 21: A total of 1,07,746 children will be fed Vitamin A capsules on Sunday. Among them, 12,380 children, aged between six to 11 months will be given blue-colour capsules, while 95,366 children aged between 12 to 59 months will be given red-colour vitamin A capsules.
The campaign will be run in seven permanent centres, 936 in out-reach centres, 16 mobile centres and 36 additional centres. A total of 241 workers, 1,990 volunteers and 135 supervisors will be deployed to make the campaign a success.
These were disclosed at a press conference at the conference room of the Magura Sadar Hospital on Wednesday. Health Department, Magura, arranged the event.
Magura civil surgeon Munshi Md Sadullah and medical officer Shubrata Kumar were present on the occasion, among others.
Meanwhile, BSS adds: In Rajshahi, around 0.34 million children under five years will be administered vitamin 'A' Plus capsules on National Vitamin 'A' Plus Campaign-2017, on December 23 in the city and nine upazilas of the district.
The campaign will begin at 8 am at 2,244 centres and continue till 4pm. A total of 1,744 outreach vaccination centres will be set up by Rajshahi Civil Surgeon office.
Over 4,480 volunteers, 376 family welfare assistants and 241 health assistants would be engaged for giving vitamin 'A' Plus capsules to the children aged from zero to 5 years in the district.
These were revealed in two separate pre-campaign press conferences organised by the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Civil Surgeon Office held at their respective conference halls in the city.
Addressing the RCC's press conference Mayor Musadeqque Hossain Bulbul said media support is important to make the forthcoming National vitamin 'A' plus campaign successful so that all the vitamin deficiency related disorders among babies are removed completely.
Chief Health Officer Dr AFM Anzuman Ara Begum mentioned that vitamin 'A' supplement is essential for the normal functioning of the visual system, maintenance of cell functionfor growth, red blood cell production, immunity and reproduction.
It's also very important for reduction of the diarhoeal attack and prevention of post-measles blindness. Addressing his press conference as focal person, Civil Surgeon Dr Sanjit Kumar Saha says various problems including eyesight and night blindness could be prevented and cured through successful implementation of the campaign.
He said the national Vitamin 'A' plus campaign will be observed across the country to prevent childhood blindness, reducing child mortality and strengthening immunity.
In Manikganj, civil surgeons on Thursday urged all to come forward to make the vitamin A plus campaign a success to be held on Sunday.
They came up with the call at a press briefing on the campaign at Manikganj Press Club. Local civil surgeon's office arranged the briefing.
A total of 1,58,682 children will be fed blue and red colour vitamin A capsules in all the seven upazilas of the district on December 23 at the second round aiming to reduce the risk of child mortality.
A total of 3,386 health and family planning personnel, including volunteers and supervisors, will work in 1,693 centres in the district to make the campaign a success.
Civil surgeon Dr Khurshid Alam said special initiatives have already been taken to bring all the children of hard-to-reach areas of the district, including char areas, under this programme with support from some NGOs.
In Chandpur, a total of 309,616 children, aged between six and 59 months, will be fed vitamin A-plus capsules in the district on Saturday.
Of them, some 35,424 children, aged between six and 11 months, will be given the blue-coloured vitamin A capsules while those, aged between 12 to 59 months, will receive the red-coloured ones.
The information was revealed at a meeting organised by the civil surgeon office at its seminar room on Wednesday.